16 June 2022 - The Dutch police recently revealed a significant increase in 3D printed weapons in the Netherlands and abroad.

16 June 2022 - The Dutch police recently revealed a significant increase in 3D printed weapons in the Netherlands and abroad. It is understood that a report on the findings of a survey on 3D printed guns was released during the International 3D Printed Firearms Conference in The Hague last month, a joint announcement by countries fighting serious organised crime and terrorism across Europe.

According to the official statement, Dutch police have been following signs that 3D-printed guns will be on the rise. Although the findings suggest that the current supply of off-the-shelf 3D-printed guns is small compared to the supply of traditional guns, they have seen a marked increase in the confiscation of 3D-printed guns. The study also shows that gun arrests have tripled in less than two years, and that far more 3D printed guns and parts are being seized. Furthermore, the 3DPrint.com survey found that while North America leads in arrest statistics, it is Europe that comes in a close second.

 

In order to investigate, the Dutch police decided to map the situation of this phenomenon in order to confirm the extent of the problem in the country. The study showed that seizures of printed firearms or parts have increased dramatically since 2021 and that the most common 3D printed firearm variants are not reliable.

Last year, 3D printed firearms and printed parts were seized in 14 investigations in the Netherlands. For example, in November 2021, police discovered a 3D weapons factory in a house in Rhoon. Among the findings, they seized nine 3D printers that were making gun parts at the time of the raid, and found dozens of parts that had already been printed, as well as kits of metal parts used to make working guns. Another high-profile case involved five suspects arrested in December 2021 after police seized automatic firearms, stun weapons, rifles and revolvers, as well as various 3D printers used to print firearm parts.

 

A number of 3D printed guns have also been found this year, including a man from Zeeland who was arrested in a raid last February for possession of 3D printed guns and right-wing extremist material, including Nazi flags, Airsoft weapons and other weapon parts made with 3D printers.

 

Many of the weapons seized by police last year were fully 3D printed, but most of the models consisted of partially metal parts. As part of the study, Dutch police highlighted the surprising number of workshops found, most of which were designed to print firearms on a larger scale.

 

As part of the study, the team attached to the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (DLR) examined the functionality of different 3D printed guns to determine the level of harm.

 

According to the report, the most commonly encountered variants of 3D-printed guns were described as unreliable. To prove this, the police made several of their own weapons and carried out various firing tests with the confiscated guns and realised that there were a number of faults and defects. The team stated that the main causes were production errors and substandard materials.

 

To illustrate the problem, Michael Molitch-Hou, editor-in-chief of 3DPrint.com in 2020, explained that 3D printed guns have so far posed little threat to the public, as the plastic parts can easily be destroyed by the extreme force of the weapon when fired. Gun experts also say that plastic weapons require high-end printers and are known to explode in the hands of the shooter, claiming that it is much easier to obtain authorised weapons in many countries (and illegal firearms in others).

 

However, some of the latest news represents a growing trend in 3D printed weapons. Widespread cases continue to put 3D printed guns at the centre of media attention; the most recent being the arrest of a man in Springfield, Massachusetts, after he allegedly 3D printed an AR-15 gun at his home.

 

In a statement, Dutch police said: "With 3D printed guns, the police recognise that not only criminal networks, but also other groups will be concerned due to the accessibility of these guns. In contrast to conventional firearms, these guns do not require the intervention of a businessman who obtains them from abroad. It is therefore necessary to prevent access to these weapons as much as possible."

 

△ 3D printed gun. Photo credit: Dutch National Police.

 

The investigation team also looked at the current legal framework. Currently, the possession, manufacture and trade of firearms or essential parts in the Netherlands is punishable under the Arms and Ammunition Act. This also applies to 3D printed firearms. However, the possession of designs for 3D printed firearms (so-called blueprints) and the sharing of these documents are not punishable. Although there are significant consequences for disseminating these blueprints and any involvement leads to criminal preparation or collaboration (punishable for those who do), Andy Kraag, head of the national investigation, told local media site NOS that the police and the judiciary want to discuss whether "technical barriers" can be placed on the printers to make 3D printing weapons more difficult.

Few 3D-printed guns or parts have been seized in the Netherlands before 2021. In addition, 3D-printed guns have been found in terrorist attacks in other countries, including an attack on a synagogue in Halle, Germany, which left two people dead. The 3D-printed gun made by Stephan Balliet, the neo-Nazi who launched the 2019 shooting in Germany, was described by experts as a warning to the security services, according to the Independent in the UK. Both international and local incidents have alerted Dutch police, who say they are closely monitoring developments surrounding 3D-printed guns.