Overview
- Five recipients, including Police Commissioner Richard Chambers, NZSIS chief Andrew Hampton, GCSB chief Andrew Clark, Police Minister Mark Mitchell and Judith Collins, surrendered the items voluntarily.
- The plastic pistols were presented as part of display stands during Kash Patel’s visit to open the FBI’s first standalone office in Wellington.
- A police armory leader wrote that the guns could be made operable with basic tools, and online build notes warn the design lacks modern safeties.
- Police destroyed the items on Sept. 25 after the commissioner denied a request to retain one for testing.
- Police refused to release photos, citing potential harm to U.S.–New Zealand relations, and it remains unclear what permissions covered Patel bringing the items into the country.