Law enforcement officers in Spain stopped the activities of an underground workshop on the island of Tenerife, where weapons were made on a 3D printer. On Sunday, March 18, El Pais writes about this with reference to the information department of the National Police.
This is the first time the kingdom’s law enforcement agencies have encountered such a case.
“The ability to manufacture on a 3D printer exponentially increases the danger of the proliferation of firearms, making it easier for criminal or terrorist groups to access them,” the police said.
The workshop was located in the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, it produced almost all the necessary components for short-barreled weapons. During the search, two 3D printers, shells, silencers, various parts for making weapons, two stun guns, five knives, a machete and a sword were seized. Items with Nazi symbols and several dozen books on the production of ammunition were also found in the building.
As a result of the operation, the owner of the laboratory was detained, he turned out to be a Spanish citizen. He was charged with possession of weapons, and a criminal case was opened.
On August 3, 2020, FSB officers stopped the activities of 42 people in 12 regions of Russia, who were modernizing civilian weapons into military counterparts. Also, the attackers were engaged in the manufacture of ammunition and the sale of products illegally manufactured by them in various regions of the country.
In total, during the operation to suppress the activities of clandestine gunsmiths, 22 workshops were identified. They were equipped with specialized equipment, including 3D printers.