3D-printed weapons workshop discovered near Pau, four individuals arrested
Toulouse investigators discovered a warehouse used to produce semi-automatic pistols via a 3D printer in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques.
3D-printed weapons workshop discovered near Pau, four individuals arrested
A warehouse concealed in the craft district of Soumoulou, a peaceful town of 1,600 inhabitants at the foot of the Pyrenees, served as a base for the illegal production of semi-automatic pistols. Toulouse judicial police made arrests of four men on Tuesday, aged between 17 and 21.
The matter dates back three months, when a man and a woman were stopped in the centre of Toulouse with two weapons of this type on them. Unlike conventional weapons, these plastic replicas bear no identification marks, making them virtually impossible to track. They can also evade metal detectors. Careful examination of the seized items revealed a genetic profile on a spring, enabling investigators to identify the presumed manufacturer.
This lead took police to the Soumoulou warehouse, where a mezzanine housed production equipment, assembly stations and a reserve of projectiles. The weapons were marketed on encrypted networks for approximately 300 euros per unit, targeting primarily petty criminals.
The president of the Arms Dealers' Syndical Chamber described these devices as "undetectable" and "completely under the radar". For the trade union official from the Alliance in the department, this phenomenon constitutes a roundabout means of introducing weapons into French territory. Investigators are now seeking to dismantle the entire distribution network.
Source: franceinfo
Source: France Info