FBI Director Presents Illegal 3D-Printed Guns in New Zealand

FBI Director Kash Patel presented inoperable 3D-printed pistols to senior New Zealand security officials during his visit in July 2023, despite the weapons being illegal under local laws. The gift, which was part of a display stand, had to be surrendered and destroyed by New Zealand law enforcement agencies, as possessing such items requires special permits beyond a standard gun license.

The plastic replica pistols were given to Richard Chambers, New Zealand’s Police Commissioner, and two other senior officials: Andrew Hampton, Director-General of the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS), and Andrew Clark, Director-General of the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB). The presentation occurred on July 31, 2023, during Patel’s trip to inaugurate the FBI’s first standalone office in New Zealand.

Under New Zealand law, firearms are tightly regulated, and 3D-printed weapons are treated similarly to traditional firearms. The law mandates that inoperable weapons must be rendered completely non-functional, and the pistols were deemed potentially operable by firearms regulators. Consequently, the weapons were destroyed after being reported to authorities by the officials who received them.

Chambers stated, “To ensure compliance with firearms laws, I instructed Police to retain and destroy them.” He did not disclose how the pistols were made inoperable before being gifted. Typically, this involves disabling the firing mechanism temporarily.

A spokesperson for the spy agencies described the pistols as part of a “challenge coin display stand.” The day after the gifts were received, New Zealand officials sought advice from the gun law regulator, leading to the decision to destroy the items.

The incident has drawn attention to the strict gun control measures in New Zealand, which were significantly strengthened after the tragic events of March 15, 2019, when a mass shooting in Christchurch resulted in the deaths of 51 individuals. This incident prompted the government to ban semiautomatic weapons among other restrictions. Currently, New Zealand law considers gun ownership a privilege rather than a right, and the country maintains a cautious attitude towards firearms.

While the pistols presented by Patel were not semiautomatic, the incident raised broader questions about compliance with local laws, especially given that the FBI Director did not clarify what permissions he sought to bring the items into the country.

The visit itself raised eyebrows, as it was conducted without prior public announcement, leading to speculation about its implications for New Zealand’s relationship with China. Patel’s remarks during the trip suggested that the new FBI office aimed to counter China’s influence in the South Pacific, a statement that drew a swift response from local officials who emphasized the office’s focus on collaborative efforts to combat child exploitation and drug smuggling.

James Davidson, a former FBI agent and current president of the FBI Integrity Project, characterized Patel’s gift as “a genuine gesture” but criticized the subsequent destruction of the pistols as an “overreaction.” Davidson argued that the agencies could have simply rendered the replicas inoperable without destroying them.

As New Zealand continues to navigate its unique relationship with firearms and international security, the incident serves as a reminder of the complexities involved in diplomatic exchanges, particularly when they intersect with local laws and cultural sensibilities.