By David Lee

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The Yuba County Sheriff’s Department has disclosed the discovery of a sophisticated 3D printing operation for manufacturing firearms in Marysville, CA. According to the Yuba County Sheriff’s Department social media post yesterday, the Problem Oriented Policing (POP) Team initiated an investigation earlier this month into suspected illegal firearm production involving 3D printing technology.

On Friday, the POP Team, strategically combined forces to with the Yuba County Probation Department, and executed a search warrant on the premise in question located on Waterfall Drive. What they found was a fully operational workshop designated for the manufacture of firearms, with numerous 3D printers and tools that were obviously tailored to create weapons. The search turned up eight handguns, multiple 3D-printed handgun frames, four assault weapons, one rifle, and a variety of additional firearm parts.

The above-mentioned findings sparked swift legal action, leading to the arrest of three Marysville residents: Uriel Cruz, 19, Eleazar Cruz, 27, and Fortunato Cruz, 38. The suspects now face charges that include multiple firearm-related offenses and are currently held at the Yuba County Jail, as reported by the Yuba County Sheriff’s Office. The case unfolds as local authorities continue to grapple with the ongoing challenge of unregistered and illegal weapons proliferating within communities.

While the names of the arrested resonate only as entries on a booking report, the reality of their alleged crime speaks to a larger discussion on the role of 3D printing technology in the illegal arms trade. This ongoing discussion will likely intensify as law enforcement agencies around the state continue to unearthing similar operations.