As informed by CNN
During a visit to New Zealand, FBI Director Kesh Patel handed over to local police and intelligence leaders demonstrative samples in the form of 3D-printed pistols. Under local law these samples were inoperable and illegal to possess, so they were subsequently destroyed.
Plastic replicas became part of the displays that Patel presented to at least three senior officials during his July visit to Wellington, where he had arrived to open the FBI’s first standalone office in New Zealand.
In New Zealand, pistols are tightly regulated weapons: owning them requires an additional permit beyond the standard firearms license. Whether counterpart officials had such permits is not specified, but the law restricts the ability to hold gifts without the proper permits.
It is not known what specific permits Patel had for importing the weapons, and an FBI spokesperson declined to comment.
Destruction and Regulator Confirmation
The samples were handed over to New Zealand gun regulators and deemed potentially usable, after which they were destroyed – to ensure compliance with the law. Police Commissioner Richard Chambers said the weapons were destroyed.
“To ensure compliance with gun laws, I ordered the police to preserve and destroy them.”
According to officials, the gift was described as a “stand for task tokens,” which included a 3D-printed non-operational weapon “as part of the design.”
A representative from intelligence said they sought guidance from the gun-control regulator the following day regarding the gifts.
The materials also note that after the visit Patel met with more than a dozen senior officials, but the exact number of samples given was not disclosed.
At the same time, the opening of the FBI’s new office in Wellington drew cautious diplomatic notes: New Zealand authorities emphasized that strengthening the FBI’s presence focuses on fighting child exploitation and cross-border crime, rather than pressuring specific countries.
More interesting materials:
- Former President Donald Trump accuses ex-FBI Director Christopher Wray of lying about FBI agents’ presence during the January 6 Capitol riot, sparking political controversy.
- FBI agents’ association warns of due process violations and political motives behind recent dismissals by FBI Director Kesh Patel, raising national security concerns and calls for transparency in agency staffing decisions.
- A father who hid with his three children in New Zealand forests for years was believed shot dead during a police armed confrontation. The investigation continues with formal identification pending.
