According to an official statement, it has been revealed that during his visit to New Zealand earlier this year, FBI Director Kash Patel presented local officials with firearm items that did not comply with the national legislation.
In July, Patel visited New Zealand for the opening of a permanent office for the US intelligence service. During the visit, meetings were held with high-ranking government members, security service leaders, and law enforcement representatives.
New Zealand’s Police Commissioner, Richard Chambers, stated on Wednesday that as a token of appreciation, Patel presented him with a coin holder that included a non-functional plastic 3D replica of a handgun.
Following the receipt of the gifts, consultation with the firearms safety authority was initiated. According to the official statement from Commissioner Chambers, subsequently, the gifts were retrieved from the recipients and placed into storage that same day. An analysis conducted by the firearms safety authority and the police armory found that after certain modifications, these items could be rendered into a condition fit for use as functional firearms. Similar items, comprising firearms mounted on stands, were presented to Andrew Hampton, director-general of the country’s human intelligence agency NZSIS, and Andrew Clark, director-general of the technical intelligence agency GCSB. In accordance with New Zealand’s current arms control laws, the pistol replicas were destroyed, as reported by Commissioner Chambers.
In recent years, the New Zealand government has taken steps to tighten firearm controls, particularly following the tragic events at the Christchurch mosques in 2019, which resulted in 50 deaths. These measures are aimed at preventing the recurrence of such incidents and enhancing public safety.