New Zealand officials had to destroy Kash Patel’s controverial gifts; toy-inspired guns also illegal

New Zealand security officials were in a fix as they did not know what to do with the gifts that they received from FBI chief Kash Patel. The gifts were revolvers and possessing them in New Zealand is illegal. They had to destroy the American gift but now reports have confirmed that they were inoperable, inspired by toy Nerf guns, which are popular among amateur 3D-printed weapons hobbyists. Still, they are illegal in New Zealand. Patel took those gifts with him as a goodwill gesture when he flew to the country to officially open an FBI office in Wellington.

Maverick PG22

Documents obtained by The Associated Press identified the model as the Maverick PG22, a working revolver modelled on the brightly coloured toy. Five New Zealand officials received the guns and they voluntarily surrendered them to the government. Following their surrender, internal police communications confirmed the items met the legal definition of firearms, with 3D-printed weapons treated identically to conventional guns in New Zealand.After Patel gifted those guns, police armory team leader Daniel Millar emailed his bosses explaining the guns could become operable by following simple stemps. “These processes are very straight forward processes and require minimal skills and common ‘handyperson’ tools,” Millar wrote. He added that these tools were “a battery drill and a drill bit for the holes and a small screw for the firing pin.”Online instructions for making the Maverick PG22 say it “does not feature proper modern safeties and should be used in a controlled environment.” It’s unclear who manufactured Patel’s guns, which Millar wrote had been “manufactured to a high standard.”