A Quebec-based anti-gun unit says 45 people have been arrested and 440 guns have been seized in raids targeting manufacturers of 3D-printed or "ghost" guns across eight provinces.
The squad, called the L’Équipe intégrée de lutte au trafic d’armes, told reporters today in Montreal that more than 20 police forces were involved in Canada-wide raids that took place Tuesday.
Police carried out 64 raids and seized 440 guns, including 3D-printed handguns, long guns and silencers, as well as other guns and 3D printers.
The raids took place in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and resulted in 45 arrests.
Authorities say they're increasingly concerned about untraceable ghost guns, which are assembled at home or 3D-printed without serial numbers.
The unit co-ordinating the raids was created in 2021 to fight gun crime, and includes officers from Quebec provincial police, Montreal police, RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 21, 2023.