A drug investigation in east Hamilton led police to something increasingly showing up in criminal cases in Canada and the United States: a firearm made partly with a 3D printer.
Hamilton Police say officers searched a home on Kenilworth Avenue North on Aug. 27 after receiving information about suspected drug trafficking. During the search, police say they found two Uzi-style firearms, including one that was 3D printed, as well as a 3D-printed silencer and a magazine containing .22-calibre ammunition.
Police also reported seizing about 10 grams each of fentanyl and methamphetamine, hydromorphone pills, psilocybin mushrooms, brass knuckles containing a spring-loaded knife, digital scales, cellular devices and Canadian currency.
Brandon Mitchell, 41, and Joelene Keogh, 43, both of Hamilton, have been charged with several drug and firearms offences. Mitchell also faces charges of failing to comply with probation and possession contrary to an order. The allegations have not been proven in court.
3D-printed guns are not just a U.S. problem
3D-printed firearms are often grouped with so-called ghost guns because they can be privately made and may not carry a conventional serial number. Canadian authorities have been investigating them for years.
In 2023, changes to federal firearms law classified illegally manufactured firearms as prohibited and created offences aimed at computer data intended for illegal firearm manufacturing, including 3D printing.
The Canada Border Services Agency has also reported several cases involving 3D-printed firearms. In a 2026 B.C. case, investigators said they seized two 3D-printed Glock-type pistols and two printed frames during a search connected to a firearms and drug investigation.
One of the most widely known U.S. cases also involved a 3D-printed weapon. When Luigi Mangione was arrested in Pennsylvania in December 2024, police said they recovered a 3D-printed pistol and a silencer. Mangione later pleaded guilty in federal court in August 2026 to stalking charges connected to the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
The Hamilton seizure is much smaller in scale, but it shows the technology is appearing locally too. Police did not say in their release where the printed firearm or silencer was made, who made them or what type of 3D printer may have been used.