UK reveals first suspected case of 3D printer made gun

According to reports from Manchester, UK, on Friday, the British police discovered what could be gun parts made by a 3D printer during a raid on a criminal organization. This is the first such case in the UK, and there are growing concerns about the misuse of 3D printing technology.

The Manchester police stated that they found a 3D printer, a magazine about 3D printing, and a possible 3D-printed trigger, suggesting that the suspects may have been attempting to print and manufacture firearms.

The police have yet to fully confirm whether the 3D-printed component is indeed a trigger. If confirmed, this would be the first case of a 3D-printed gun discovered in UK history. Currently, weapons experts are analyzing the components to determine if they can be used to assemble a handgun.

A suspect suspected of manufacturing explosives has been arrested and is undergoing questioning.

British police officials noted that 3D printing technology could usher in a new era for gun manufacturing. Some unscrupulous individuals might secretly produce handguns at home and supply them to criminal groups, posing a threat to public safety. Furthermore, because 3D-printed gun parts are often made of plastic, they can evade existing metal detectors, making it easier to conceal and smuggle these weapons.

However, some people question whether 3D printing technology is sufficient to create a functional handgun.

Prior to this, a law student from Texas, USA, published information online detailing how to use 3D printing technology to make handguns. The U.S. State Department ordered the website to remove this information. However, before it was taken down, the content had been viewed over ten thousand times.

In addition, just last month, a museum in London, UK, announced that it had obtained two prototype handguns printed according to the information provided by the aforementioned Texas-based website, and plans to collect them as examples of modern design works.