New Zealand Customs Minister fears 3D printers will soon be able to produce illegal drugs

New Zealand's Customs Minister Maurice Williamson says he is extremely worried about what 3D printers will do to border security. Mr Williamson says the printers are actually manufacturers of products and 3D computer files can be emailed or downloaded from the internet. He says household printers will soon be able to produce drugs and weapons, and the country's borders are extremely vulnerable.

"If people could print off ... sheets of Ecstasy tablets at the party they're at at that time, that just completely takes away our border protection role in its known sense." Mr Williamson says the printers will become as common as PCs and he has asked his officials to think hard about how to keep up with this kind of technology.

“In the near future we will need to protect a digital border instead of just locating physical objects as we do now,” he said. “If it’s made of atoms, you’ll be able to print it… [it] will change the very existence of mankind beyond anyone’s wildest imaginations". However, a 3D printing expert has dismissed Mr Williamson's claim.

Massey University lecturer Olaf Diegel, says while 3D designs may be shared over the internet, you still need the raw materials to create something. “Right now printers can’t reproduce down to the atomic level…3D printing won’t be an issue for customs because you still need the materials within each border to make drugs or guns,” he said.