Police concerned about escalating violence amid youth gangs 3D printing guns

Young criminals are 3D printing untraceable guns to be used in Adelaide’s ongoing youth gang war, with major concerns from police about how to crack down on the weapons.

Warring Adelaide youth gangs are 3D printing their own guns as violence between the rival groups escalates, sparking concerns from police about how to crack down on the untraceable weapons.

The Sunday Mail can reveal Operation Meld detectives in May seized a 3D printed gun and 3D printing equipment from the Davoren Park home of a teenage member of one of Adelaide’s two feuding African youth gangs KBS.

Police also seized other homemade firearms, a gel blaster and a commercial quantity of illicit drugs during the bust.

It is believed the weapons, which were all functioning and firing guns, had been manufactured to use in the escalating gang war between KBS, also known as Killa Block Squad, and rival group 051.

An 18-year-old KBS member was charged with five counts of aggravated possession of prescribed firearm, five counts of possess unregistered firearms, one count of possess ammunition without a license, five counts of possess firearm without ID marker, one count of possess large commercial quantity and one count of unlawful possession.

He will face court again next year.

Rival youth gangs 051 and KBS are sourcing and creating 3D printed firearms used in an escalating war between the two groups. Picture: Supplied

Police last year seized a sawn-off .22 rifle and ammunition when two 051 members, aged 17 and 18 at the time, were stopped at Bolivar.

Assistant Commissioner Narelle Kameniar said seizures of the weapons from gangs linked to Operation Meld was concerning.

“We have seen seizures from people we can attribute to those groups,” she said.

Ms Kameniar said the ease of manufacturing the guns was also a concern for police.

“Moving forward, given the readily accessible technology, that is a concern.”

“It’s not an involved process.

“This stuff is easily and readily available and it would be almost near impossible to track at this stage.”

Ms Kameniar said the difficulty for police to track 3D printed guns made it hard to combat the illegal manufacturing of the weapons.

“Because of the traceability and safety aspects of privately made firearms we are concerned,” Ms Kameniar said.

“There are very good reasons why firearms is a regulated industry for the safety of the community.

“Firearms that are privately made, whether they are 3D or homemade, give real concern to police as they are hard to trace and that can impact on the safety of the community.”

Assistant Commissioner Narelle Kameniar said seizures of illegal 3D printed guns was concerning. Picture: Dean Martin

The two youth gangs have been in conflict for more than two years, with police launching Operation Meld in July 2021 after an increase of violence and criminal activity linked to the gangs.

In the latest public escalation of violence between the gangs, a 051 member was stabbed several times during a confrontation between members of the two groups in broad daylight on December 5.

The 051 member, a 19-year-old rapper linked to the gang-affiliated northern suburbs record label of the same name, was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital with life-threatening injuries after the incident on Birmingham Dr at Craigmore.

On December 8, Operation Meld, Northern District and Western District detectives and STAR Group officers arrested Aboki Opio, 19, Atem Marou, 27, Sonal Gobi Brawn, 19, and a 16-year-old Parafield Gardens boy and charged them with aggravated causing harm over the stabbing.

They are alleged to be KBS members.

In the Elizabeth Magistrates Court, Mr Opio denied being a gang member but was refused bail alongside Mr Marou, while Mr Brawn and the 16-year-old boy were released on bail earlier.

They will face court next year.

A 051 member who was stabbed in the latest public escalation of violence between Adelaide's warring African youth gangs. Picture: Supplied

Just days after the stabbing and while still in intensive care, the 051 member posted a video to social media spruiking his latest single.

The attack on him was believed to be in retaliation to the Anzac Day murder of 25-year-old Melbourne man Ngor Bol last year.

Bol, a gang member closely associated with KBS, had travelled from interstate with other gang members during an escalation of the two groups’ conflict.

The gangs are also engaged in serious drug trafficking operations, mostly involving the importation of methamphetamines and cocaine, which are funded by significant fraud activity.

Anyone with information about illegal gang activity is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au.

Assistant Commissioner Kameniar also urged anyone with information about the manufacturing of illegal guns to contact Crime Stoppers.

“If people know of others tinkering with printing 3D firearms, they should speak up,” Ms Kameniar said.

“It’s not something to be tinkered with.

“These are dangerous items, to the person tinkering and using them, and the community generally.”