Brazil’s ‘Operation Shadowgun’ Arrests Alleged Leader of 3D-Printed Ghost Gun Network

Overview

• Police and Rio state prosecutors executed five arrest warrants and 36 searches in 11 states, detaining four suspects and seizing weapons, 3D printers and electronics.
• Engineeer Lucas Alexandre Flaneto de Queiroz, known as “Zé Carioca,” was arrested in Rio das Pedras (SP) and is accused of developing, publishing and selling designs for printable firearms.
• Investigators identified 79 buyers in 2021–2022 across 11 states, with components advertised on e-commerce platforms such as Mercado Livre and shipped via Correios.
• Charges filed include organized crime, money laundering and illegal arms commerce, with evidence of a 100-plus-page manual, technical support for buyers and an ideological manifesto.
• Authorities cite cooperation with MJSP/Ciberlab, ABIN and U.S. HSI and warn of broader risks from low-cost builds like the Urutau carbine and potential international interest.