San Diego sues 3-D filament maker Polymaker over alleged ghost-gun sales

San Diego County’s counsel, together with the Giffords Law Center, sued Polymaker for allegedly selling PLA+ filament that enables anyone with a consumer-grade 3-D printer to produce functional, untraceable guns in under nine hours. The complaint references a recent police seizure of filament spools and printed weapons from a teenage suspect planning a school shooting. The filing follows similar lawsuits against the digital code library Gatalog and reflects California’s broader strategy of using the Unfair Competition Law to block the flow of ghost-gun components.

The state argues that both the filament and the design files are marketed directly to California residents, violating state regulations. While Polymaker has not responded, the case adds to a growing legal battle over 3-D-printed firearms, which law enforcement says have surged from a few dozen to about 11,000 recoveries annually.