These weapons without serial numbers, some made of plastic, have been in circulation on the market since the mid-2010s. At that time they were extremely fragile and could only fire one shot.
In the last two years, the technology has been refined, says Benoit Richard, spokesman for the Sûreté du Québec, in an interview with Le Soleil.
“In the past, you used it to fire a bullet that could explode and even cause damage. Nowadays these weapons are manufactured in a better way with better components. »
So much so that the trade in “ghost weapons” is on the rise in Quebec.
“Many more carcasses were seized in 2022 and 2023 than in previous years. The proportion of self-made weapons confiscated is increasing. »
— Benoît Richard, spokesman for the Sûreté du Québec
Easy to do
Today, 3D printers capable of producing firearms are widely available and cost as little as $300, notes Kim Chamberland, spokesperson for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
“The 3D printers and computer programs needed to make a weapon are widely available, inexpensive and easy to use,” she says. Many detailed plans are available on the dark web.
But how can a plastic gun be functional? Often only the body is printed with a printer, as the other parts are not subject to the law.
“The frame is the controlled and regulated part of a firearm. Other parts such as the bolt, trigger or barrel are not subject to inspection and can be purchased without a firearms license. »
— Kim Chamberland, spokesperson for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
This allows criminals to 3D print the frame and purchase the other parts needed to make a firearm elsewhere.
In addition, the profit margin is attractive for traders. Homemade firearms can be sold for the same price as traditional firearms but cost less to produce, explains Benoit Richard. However, ghost weapons have a shorter lifespan.
Several manufacturers in Quebec
The ghost gun problem exists all over the world, but it’s on the rise in Quebec. Recently, the Integrated Arms Trafficking Team’s (EILTA) Operation REPRODUCTION led to approximately thirty searches across Canada.
Seizures have been made in New Brunswick, Alberta and Manitoba, among other places. “These are all operations that were linked to a person in Quebec who was distributing parts for the manufacture of firearms,” mentions Benoît Richard, spokesman for the Sûreté du Québec.
On the same day of his interview with Le Soleil, a ghost gun-related search was carried out on Rue Saint-Alphonse Nord in Thetford Mines, Mr Richard adds.
In order to counteract the spread of ghost weapons, the Sûreté du Québec wants to improve the exchange of information between the various structures. “The Sûreté has concentrated almost ten resources in the last two years through the creation of the EILTA and the Quebec Firearms Screening Center, which opened last January,” he said.
The aim of this center is to trace the origins of firearms used in crimes committed in Quebec. According to them, 40% of the handguns confiscated in the province come from the United States.
However, there is a risk that this proportion will decline in the coming years given the increasing production of weapons using 3D printers, says Mr Richard.