Hundreds of 3D printed guns, parts and ammunition found in Canterbury raid

45-year-old man faces a dozen firearms charges after Kaiapoi search

By LineZotpaper

Published21 October 2026

Updated21 October 2026

Read Time2 min

Sources2 outlets

Police in Canterbury have seized hundreds of 3D printed guns, parts and ammunition in a raid on a Kaiapoi address, with a 45-year-old man now facing a dozen firearms charges.

Police found more than 300 firearms, parts and ammunition during the search on Tuesday, including five fully operational 3D printed firearms, two cut-down firearms, 33 rounds of ammunition and five 3D printers.

The man is due to appear in Christchurch District Court on Wednesday. He has been charged with seven counts of unlawful possession of a pistol, two counts of unlawful possession of ammunition, manufacturing firearms using illegal parts, possession of a digital blueprint with intent to illegally manufacture arms, and intentional manufacturing of a firearm without a business licence.

Superintendent Tony Hill described the operation as significant. "We will continue to seek out those involved in the making and selling of these firearms to stamp out this type of offending because the consequences could be devastating for our community," he said.

Hill said some of the weapons were not currently operational, but warned that could change. "Just because some of the firearms are non-operational now, does not mean they would have been in the future," he said. "It is likely we have prevented a significant amount of harm from being inflicted on the community."

Police said further arrests and charges were possible.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The raid points to the local production of firearms that can be made without serial numbers and are difficult for police to trace.
Police believe the operation prevented significant harm, suggesting an alleged supply network operating in the community.
The scale of the seizure raises questions about how prevalent 3D printed weapons have become in New Zealand.

Background

New Zealand has strict firearms licensing requirements, and gun laws were tightened after the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings, including restrictions on military-style semi-automatic weapons. 3D printed firearms are typically made from plastic using digital blueprints and commercially available printers. Because they are not manufactured through traditional channels, they often lack serial numbers and can be hard to detect before they enter circulation.

Key Perspectives

Police: Superintendent Tony Hill said the operation was significant and that those involved in making and selling such firearms would be pursued, because the consequences could be devastating for the community. He said it was likely a significant amount of harm had been prevented. The accused: The 45-year-old man is scheduled to appear in Christchurch District Court. The charges against him include seven counts of unlawful possession of a pistol, manufacturing firearms using illegal parts, possessing a digital blueprint with intent to manufacture arms, and manufacturing a firearm without a business licence. Critics and skeptics: The case highlights longstanding concerns about self-made firearms, which fall outside traditional manufacturing oversight. Digital blueprints can be shared online, complicating enforcement and making it harder for authorities to identify weapons before they are used.

What to Watch

Whether further arrests and charges follow, which police have said are possible.
The outcome of the man's first court appearance in Christchurch on Wednesday.
Any information police release about the origin of the digital blueprints or whether the firearms were intended for sale.

Sources

Canterbury police seize 300-plus gun parts in Kaiapoi 3D-printed firearms operation · New Zealand Herald
Hundreds of 3D printed guns, parts and ammunition found in Canterbury police raid · RNZ New Zealand Headlines

Checked

11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.

Show each claim

SupportedHundreds of 3D-printed guns, parts and ammunition were found in a Canterbury police raid.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “Hundreds of 3D printed guns, parts and ammunition found in Canterbury police raid”
SupportedA 45-year-old man faces a dozen firearms charges after a search at a Kaiapoi address.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “A 45-year-old man is facing a dozen firearms charges after police found hundreds of 3D-printed guns after raiding a Kaiapoi address.”
SupportedPolice seized more than 300 firearms, parts and ammunition during the search on Tuesday.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “Police seized more than 300 firearms, parts and ammunition after the search in Canterbury on Tuesday.”
SupportedThe cache included five fully operational 3D firearms, two cut-down firearms, 33 rounds of ammunition and five 3D printers.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “Five 3D printers were also found. Police found five fully-operational 3D firearms, two cut-down firearms and 33 rounds of ammunition among the seized cache.”
SupportedThe man is due to appear in Christchurch District Court on Wednesday.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “The man is due to appear in Christchurch District Court on Wednesday.”
SupportedThe man was charged with seven counts of unlawful possession of a pistol, two of unlawful possession of ammunition, and three other firearms-related offences listed in the story.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “He has been charged with seven counts of unlawful possession of a pistol, two counts of unlawful possession of ammunition, manufacturing firearms using illegal parts, possession of a digital blueprint with intent to illegally manufacture arms and intentional manufacturing a firearm without a business licence.”
SupportedSuperintendent Tony Hill described the operation as significant.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “Superintendent Tony Hill said it was a significant operation.”
SupportedHill said police would keep seeking those involved in making and selling the firearms, to stamp out the offending because its consequences could be devastating for the community.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “We will continue to seek out those involved in the making and selling of these firearms to stamp out this type of offending because the consequences could be devastating for our community,”
SupportedHill said some firearms were non-operational at the time, but might have become operational later.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “Just because some of the firearms are non-operational now, does not mean they would have been in the future,”
SupportedHill said it was likely the operation had prevented significant harm to the community.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “It is likely we have prevented a significant amount of harm from being inflicted on the community.”
Partly supportedPolice said further arrests and charges were possible.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “Further arrests and charges were possible.”