Untraceable 3D guns: SA's next crime wave?

THE emergence of ghost guns - often assembled foi 3D-printed parts devoid of serial numbers — poses a serious threat to public safety worldwide.

- SINENHLANHLA MASILELA

These untraceable firearms, easily manufactured from DIY kits or parts available online, raise alarming concerns as technology continues to advance, outpacing regulatory frameworks meant to curtail misuse.

Even though these weapons are plastic and tend to have short working lives, they are good enough to provide criminals with anonymity and untraceability because they have no serial numbers and are easy to destroy. This further complicates the linking of a recovered weapon to a specific individual or incident.

As criminals increasingly exploit technology, governments are left scrambling to draft appropriate regulations to ensure public safety.

The United States holds the dubious distinction of being at the forefront of ghost gun production, with the first 3D firearm emerging in 2013 under the aegis of Defence Distributed. The country is still battling with regulations regarding the firearms due to its relaxed firearms laws.

Recent statistics indicate a troubling trend, with this nation recording the highest absolute number of arrests linked to 3D-printed firearms. A prime example is the high-profile murder case involving United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024, which was associated with the use of one such weapon.

A May report by Rueben Dass highlights a similar concern in the United Kingdom, which recorded its own barrage of incidents involving attempts to manufacture or acquire these guns, followed closely by countries such as Canada, Australia, Germany, and several other European nations.

As cases of ghost gun creation proliferate, these nations and others across the world have scrambled to ban these weapons altogether.