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Police seized multiple firearms, drug and ammunition from four Calgary homes as part of an extensive cross-country sweep last week.
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Quebec’s integrated team against firearms trafficking, the Équipe intégrée de lutte au trafic d’armes (EILTA), had identified people from the Calgary area linked to the production of 3D-printed firearms.
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The 20th of June, 3D Printers and their filament, 3D Receivers, A completed 3D-printed Firearm, Five Rifles, Three Airsoft Rifles, Ammunition, and over 1.3 kilos of Crack Cocaine and Powder were taken from Falmere Drive N.E. and Covepark Terrace N.E. Calgary and a home on Boulder Creek Drive, located in Langdon (just east of Calgary), were also searched.
“Since last year, 3D-printed firearms have become more prevalent in Calgary,” said acting Staff Sgt. Ben Lawson, of Calgary’s firearms investigation unit, released a press release on Monday.
“Through targeted enforcement, we are constantly working to identify individuals involved in illegal firearms manufacturing and hold them accountable. This investigation demonstrates the cross-jurisdictional nature of this type of crime and the success that a coordinated and concerted effort can have on public safety.”
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Last week, Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams conducted additional searches across the province as part of Project Reproduction, a Canada-wide initiative aimed at combating illicit gun trafficking and manufacture.
ALERT executed search warrants at various homes on the 20th of June based on information provided by EILTA. These included Grande Prairie, Lloydminster and Onoway.
The national operation was led by EILTA, a joint forces initiative comprised of Sûreté du Québec, the Montreal Police Service, RCMP, and Canada Border Services Agency, said ALERT in a news release.
“This cross-Canada investigation has highlighted the divergence of technology and organized crime. These 3D-printed firearms are self-produced crime guns designed to evade detection, or modify existing firearms in a prohibited capacity,” said Supt. Marc Cochlin is the CEO of ALERT.
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Alberta raids as part of national effort to stop 3D printed ‘ghost weapons’
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Police arrest 45, seize 440 weapons in Canada-wide raids targeting 3D-printed guns
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Calgary is seeing an increase in 3D-printed ghost guns
Other searches took place in Ontario and Quebec as well as British Columbia, New Brunswick Nova Scotia Manitoba Saskatchewan.
In the raids that took place simultaneously coast-tocoast, police officers in Montreal arrested 45 people, seized 440 guns and firearms including 3D-printed long guns and handguns as well other firearms.
Local police have said that additional information regarding the raids in Calgary will be made public once criminal charges are filed.
ALERT, established and funded by the Alberta Government, is a compilation of the province’s law enforcement resources committed to tackling serious and organized crime.
— With files from Postmedia and The Canadian Press