Senior officials of the United Nations (UN) issued a serious warning, warning about how technological advances are allowing the proliferation of so-called “ghost weapons.” These artifacts, manufactured using three-dimensional (3D) printing, lack serial numbers and are impossible to track by law enforcement, becoming the new engine of violence, organized crime and global instability.

The alarming panorama is analyzed in New York, where delegates from around the world meet to stop the illicit trafficking of firearms. According to experts, the danger no longer lies solely in the arsenals abandoned after the end of a war, but in the ease with which criminal and terrorist networks adopt digital technology to manufacture weapons from any corner of the planet.

Concern about this phenomenon recalls the warning made years ago by Kofi Annan, who described small arms as the true “weapons of mass destruction” due to the enormous number of victims they cause around the world.

Faced with this scenario, the United Nations has asked to strengthen international cooperation, update regulatory frameworks and develop mechanisms that allow us to face the challenges posed by 3D printing and other emerging technologies.

From the battlefield to the streets: the untraceable danger

“Wars end, but unfortunately the weapons that were used in that particular conflict are not under full control,” said Izumi Nakamitsu, senior UN official for Disarmament Affairs. The clearest example of this lethal legacy is Libya, where weapons looted after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 ended up crossing borders to feed extremist groups in Niger, Burkina Faso and Nigeria.

However, 3D printing has changed the rules of the game drastically. As printer costs become cheaper, with commercial models starting at $600, and plans become more widespread on the dark web through platforms such as DEFCAD (dubbed the “Netflix of weapons”), anyone can press a button and manufacture a rifle.

Unlike conventional weapons, 3D printed weapons do not leave identifiable marks on the casings or bullets, erasing any possibility of authorities using ballistic databases to solve a crime. In addition, being constructed mainly of plastic polymers, they easily evade security controls and X-rays.

The connection with the cartels and the challenge in the US

The impact of this technology is already being strongly felt in the United States and on the southern border. According to ATF data, ghost gun seizures in the United States skyrocketed 157% in just two years, going from 7,517 in 2019 to 19,344 in 2021. DEA reports confirm that members of gangs and street gangs are increasingly turning to these privately manufactured parts purchased online.

The threat crosses directly into Mexico. Intelligence reports reveal that “manufacturers” based in states with more permissive laws, such as Nevada and Texas, actively advise criminal organizations such as the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

Cartels use 3D technology to reduce their dependence on traditional border smuggling, manufacturing everything from components for heavy weapons to devices such as Glock Switches, which convert semi-automatic pistols into lethal bursts for a production cost of less than two dollars.

The problem is aggravated by legal loopholes. While in Europe and the United Kingdom the possession of these plans and parts is strictly prohibited, in the United States the Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988 allows certain loopholes if the devices include metal components, making it easier for the homemade weapons business to continue thriving underground.

For experts, the goal is not only to control weapons, but to prevent conflicts from reactivating, protect communities and reduce the violence that continues to claim lives long after wars end.