Ghost gun seizures on the rise in Calgary

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The number of 3D-printed “ghost” guns seized by Calgary police officers rose drastically last year, after years of marginal seizures in the city.

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In 2020 and 2021, Calgary police took one 3D-printed gun. Last year, the department seized 17 off the streets of Alberta’s largest city. Acting Staff Sergeant. Ben Lawson with the Calgary Police Service firearm investigative unit said his team had been hearing for years that such weapons were part of the local crime scene, but didn’t see a large increase in their presence until last year after it conducted at least two investigations specifically targeting the ghost guns.

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“We started to see a little bit of an increase in them, plus we also, as far as the firearms investigative team, had a couple of investigations that targeted these specific types of manufacturing investigations,” said Lawson. “With those two items, 2022 definitely saw a huge rise in the number of 3D-printed firearms.”

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‘You don’t need an engineering degree’

Ghost guns are becoming easier to make. Lawson explained that instructions and plans can be found online. From there, someone looking to create the guns would only need a 3D printer — with some selling for as low as $300 — and the plastic material the firearms are made with.

The firearm body is created by this process, but without a serial number. This can be used to make professional firearm parts such as triggers. Creating 3D-printed firearms is illegal in Canada — the criminal code states the manufacturing of firearms without proper licences is prohibited.

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“You don’t need an engineering degree, you need to be able to source the parts, take some time to play around with the printers and the computers, and know a little basic understanding. My children know more about computers that I do. So, yeah, it won’t take much,” said Lawson.

Lawson said his team has been working with local firearm retailers as well as the provincial chief firearms officer to help raise awareness and education on these firearms entering the market, noting it’s not typically law-abiding firearm owners who are seeking to purchase these guns.

J.R. Cox, CEO of Shooting Edge, said his store has a policy to ask for customers’ firearm licences when selling barrels or stocks, despite there being no law requiring one to purchase. He said he believes it’s industry standard among Calgary brick-and-mortar firearms stores.

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“It’s best practice because our client base are legitimate, lawful arms owners,” said Cox. “We’re trying to make sure that we don’t add to that 3D-printed gun issue.”

According to him, his business has not experienced an increase in people buying firearm parts to be used on a 3D printed weapon. He stated that he was disappointed by the rise in 3D-printed weapons in the city. People creating them do not consider the consequences.

“They’re playing with something and I get that . . . But when they leave, these guns end up in the wrong hands. . . (they’re not thinking) just how damaging it is to the shooting community,” said Cox.

Some guns are made using sticky tack, gum or sticky tack

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Lawson stated that among the 3D firearms seized by his unit, CPS was able to link several to being made in the city. He believes that a majority of them were created in Alberta. Guns such as handguns or rifles were among the firearms that were seized. Some of these guns were outfitted with extended magazines and other illegal devices, allowing them full automatic.

There are a variety of quality levels in the seized firearms, including some made with sticky tack or gum, and at least one that was damaged during a ballistic testing.

“When it comes to privately manufacturing this 3D-printing stuff, what I would say does concern me is it can start out as innocent behaviour on a 3D printer,” said Lawson. “It can then morph into playing around with airsoft, then it can morph into now experimenting with playing with guns, and you can make these firearms in the privacy of your bedroom, in the basement of your house.”

Alberta RCMP didn’t immediately release the most recent statistics regarding how many 3D printed firearms were seized.

Dylan Topal, press secretary for Alberta’s Minister of Public Safety Mike Ellis, said the issue of ghost guns mainly falls under federal jurisdiction but that Alberta’s government is monitoring the situation to see how they can help police.

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