3D-printed ghost guns that look like toys are exploding in popularity, partly due to online groups like "3D2A," and U.S. officials are worried about who can access them. CBS News' Anna Schecter spoke to NYPD's ghost gun czar about the concerns.

New York

The New York Police Department has reported a growing problem with 3D-printed ghost guns, which are firearms without serial numbers that cannot be traced. These weapons, some disguised as toys, are being seized in increasing numbers and are often assembled by young people using open-source designs found online. 

Law enforcement officials, including the NYPD's Ghost Gun Czar and the Queens District Attorney, warn that the technology is advancing faster than laws can keep up. Online communities such as 3D2A make it easy for anyone to access plans and instructions, complicating efforts to regulate and control the spread of these weapons, despite strict state laws in places like New York and California.

NYPD concerned about 3D-printed ghost guns that look like toys

With 3D printing technology becoming so much more accessible, more young people are able to get their hands on ghost guns. Those are guns that don't have serial numbers and can't be traced. Anna Schechter, the head of our CBS News Crime and Public Safety Unit, spoke to the NYPD's Ghost Gun Czar about the push to keep them out of kids' hands and the growing online movement of people making them. This is really interesting stuff, Anna. It's true. So we went inside the NYPD's gun lab for a first-hand look at this problem, and officers have seized a lot of these weapons. Let's take a look. So this is what's called not a Glock. It's one of the newest advances in the 3D printing community. And that's just one type of ghost gun that young people have been getting their hands on. The perpetrators that are shooting these 3D printed guns, trafficking them, making them, they're not coming up with the design. All they're doing is grabbing it once it's on open source, and it's there for the world to download and to plug into their 3D printer. Deputy Chief Courtney Nyland, the NYPD Ghost Gun Czar, says this technology is outpacing the laws meant to regulate it. And she's raising a red flag about a growing online community called 3D2A, where 2 stands for the Second Amendment. It seems to be a place that attracts people with extreme views, whether it be far left, whether it be far right, whether it be completely anti-government. I spoke to the Queens District Attorney, Melinda Katz, about what parents should be looking out for. Unusual purchases on the internet, things that don't make sense, things that might be parts of a weapon or a gun are clearly the things that parents should be watching out for. They need to know that it's a possibility of building these guns that are lethal just by buying parts on the internet. So looking out for that and having that knowledge is extremely important. Pretty wild to see Hello Kitty branded guns. What else did you learn about this movement, and what is law enforcement doing about this? It's a great question. What's difficult is that these engineers online, part of this 3D2A movement, they're in different corners of the internet, but it's also open source. They have their own website, so anyone can go on there and learn how to make these. So what's hard for law enforcement is the laws can't really keep up and keep a pace to regulate them. Just because one state like California has a law that you can't 3D print a block, a switch to make something a semi-automatic weapon, for example, doesn't mean that somebody else somewhere else can download it and just drive over state lines, or even it's hard to detect someone in California could do that. You know, Anna, one of the things that was pretty scary in your report is we saw guns that were gun holders that were disguised as toys. How big a problem is that? What's the marketplace like? Well, the plans for everything that we saw there in that package are out there on the internet. In fact, that Hello Kitty plastic thing that looked like a holder was actually a gun. It folds out, and it is a lethal weapon just like any other regular gun. And so what private sector companies, security companies, are trying to do is to stay ahead of these engineers. But it's like this cat and mouse race that's happening right now, and law enforcement is trying to get a handle on it. It seems like it's the Wild West out there. What are the efforts to pass legislation to regulate these gun stands? Well, that is really the issue. Gun control advocates, they are trying to legislate our society out of this problem, but it's a huge challenge. So I mentioned the law in California. New York State has pretty strict laws about ghost guns and 3D printing as well. But for some reason, there has been this exponential growth. I think it's because it's so easy to do this in secret and hide it. Anna Schechter, thank you for your reporting. We appreciate it.

President Trump approved a 28-point plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war, a senior White House official confirms to CBS News. Ramy Inocencio has the latest.

Washington

Ukraine Invasion

Trump approved 28-point plan to end Russia-Ukraine war

There are reports that the U.S. and Russia have drafted a plan that would end the war in Ukraine, but it proposes that Kyiv give up territory and some weapons.

Kyiv

Ukraine expected to give up land, some arms under U.S. peace plan

All 267 people on board a South Korean passenger ferry that ran aground off the southwestern tip of the Korean peninsula on Wednesday (November 19) have been rescued, in an incident that revived memories of the major ferry disaster in 2014 in which 300 people died.

Mokpo-si

Ferry runs aground off South Korea, crew negligence suspected

On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed the bill that forces the Justice Department to release the files from its investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The bill was passed by the U.S. House and Senate on Tuesday.

Trump signs bill to release Epstein files

U.S. officials are now in Kyiv for the Trump administration's renewed push to end the Russia-Ukraine war. CBS News chief foreign affairs correspondent and "Face the Nation" moderator Margaret Brennan has the details.

U.S. officials in Ukraine to push for renewed peace talks

Harvard University is opening a new inquiry into faculty connections with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Cam Srivastava, college administration reporter for The Harvard Crimson, joins CBS News with more.

Cambridge

Harvard announces new probe into faculty ties to Jeffrey Epstein

U.S. President Donald Trump has authorized a plan for the CIA in Venezuela, according to a New York Times report. CBS News' Charlie D'Agata has more details.

Trump authorizes plans for CIA covert operation in Venezuela: report

An Israeli strike on the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon killed 13 people and wounded several others, the Lebanese Health Ministry said Wednesday. The Israeli military said it struck Hamas militants who it said were operating in a training compound there.

Beirut

Middle East Conflict

Israeli strike on Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon kills 13

The Epstein files bill is expected to reach President Donald Trump's desk for his signature on Wednesday (November 19). CBS News' Taurean Small reports.

Trump set to sign bill to release Epstein files

Microsoft and Nvidia plan to invest a combined $15 billion into Anthropic. Bloomberg Intelligence's Mandeep Singh discusses why two of the biggest backers of OpenAI are putting money into its rival.

San Francisco

Microsoft, Nvidia to invest up to $15 billion in Anthropic

Hamas rejects the US-drafted UN resolution for a Gaza ceasefire and international stabilisation force.

UN Security Council vote: Hamas rejects Gaza 'peace resolution'

President Trump welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman to the White House on Tuesday. The two leaders announced a boost in Saudi Arabia's planned investment in the U.S., from $600 billion to nearly $1 trillion.

Trump, MBS announce boost in Saudi investment to U.S.

President Donald Trump hosted Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House on Tuesday, with the Saudi de facto ruler seeking to further rehabilitate his global image after the 2018 killing of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi and deepen ties with Washington.

Trump hosts Saudi crown prince for pomp-filled, deal-making visit

The Senate, through the process of unanimous consent, agreed to send the bill to President Trump's desk for his signature without any amendments once it's received from the House.

Senate to send Epstein files bill to Trump's desk for signature

The House has approved a bill that would require the Justice Department to release files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The bill, which received bipartisan support, now awaits consideration in the Senate.

House passes bill that would force release of Jeffrey Epstein files

Hopes for a strong G20 declaration on climate and debt relief are slim as South Africa readies to host the summit from Saturday (November 22). Global tensions and a boycott by the United States threaten to overshadow the gathering.

Johannesburg

South Africa readies for G20 despite U.S. boycott

At least one person is dead and three others were injured after an attack in the West Bank, Israeli forces said. Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council backed the U.S. plan for Gaza. CBS News' Ramy Inocencio has the latest.

Jerusalem

Tensions escalate as U.N. Security Council backs Trump's plan for Gaza

U.S. President Donald Trump will host Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House, his first visit since Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed in 2018. The crown prince has denied any involvement.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visiting White House

The sale of the fighter jets is one of several major deals between the two countries expected to be announced during the visit.

Trump says he will sell F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia

The U.K. government has proposed a major overhaul of its asylum rules, making it easier to deport people and quadruple the amount of time it takes to become a permanent resident.

London

U.K. introduces tougher laws for asylum seekers

In a blistering opinion, a federal judge in Virginia accused Justice Department prosecutor Lindsay Halligan of misconduct, saying there was a "disturbing pattern of profound investigative missteps."

Virginia

DOJ accused of 'profound investigative missteps' in Comey case

The United Nations Security Council has voted to adopt a U.S. resolution outlining President Trump's peace plan for post-war Gaza. CBS News senior foreign correspondent Holly Williams has the details.

U.N. Security Council adopts U.S. resolution on Gaza plan

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford has arrived in the Caribbean, giving the United States the ability to strike inside Venezuela if President Trump gives the order. The U.S. has also sent thousands of troops to the region.

Trump 'won't rule out' sending troops to Venezuela amid rising tensions

President Trump now says Republicans should vote to release all of the files related to the federal investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. CBS News' Olivia Rinaldi and Nikole Killion have the latest on what could happen next.

Trump's Epstein files reversal comes amid pressure from allies

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk has called an explosion on a railway line “an unprecedented act of sabotage.” Donald Tusk did not say who he believed had carried out the attack, but a government minister said "foreign intelligence agencies" were responsible.

Warsaw

Railway line blast in Poland ‘unprecedented act of sabotage’

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy signed a landmark deal in Paris on Monday to buy 100 Rafale jets, drones, and air defense systems from France.

Paris

Ukraine signs deal with France for jets, air defense systems

The Federal Aviation Administration ended mandated cuts in domestic flights at 40 major U.S. airports, easing restrictions that had been imposed over air traffic control concerns during the federal shutdown.

FAA ends mandated cuts in domestic U.S. flights

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to oppose any attempt to establish a Palestinian state, a day before the UN Security Council will vote on a U.S.-drafted resolution on Gaza that leaves the door open to Palestinian independence.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Netanyahu insists there can be no Palestinian state ahead of UN vote

A Bangladesh court sentenced ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity on Monday (November 17), concluding a months-long trial that found her guilty of ordering a deadly crackdown on a student-led uprising last year.

Dhaka

Bangladesh's ousted PM sentenced to death for protest crackdown

President Donald Trump now appears to support the release of all Jeffrey Epstein files as the House of Representatives readies for a vote on the matter. CBS News' Natalie Brand reports.

Breakdown