Smuggled Glock Switch Leads Agents To Gun Linked To 2 Homicides In Kansas City

Federal officials say a seized shipment of smuggled Glock switch components led to a weapons seizure in Kansas City and a break in a homicide investigation.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said officers at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport intercepted a shipment from Shanghai, China, manifested as “plastic trinkets for decorative purposes.” Inside, mixed in with screws and other hardware, were Glock switch components used to convert a Glock pistol into a fully automatic weapon.

After seizing the package, investigation revealed the manifested recipient in Kansas City, Mo., was a fictitious name. After determining the true intended recipient of the package, investigators uncovered a shipping history dating back to 2021 with “patterns consistent with potential illegal weapons or weapon components.”

CBP turned its findings over to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). With assistance from local law enforcement, agents from the ATF Kansas City field office executed a search warrant that resulted in one arrest and the seizure of three firearms, a Glock switch, a 3D-printed firearm backplate, and multiple rounds of ammunition.

An analysis by the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network linked a seized .45‑caliber Glock handgun from the search to two homicides that occurred on April 20 and are currently under investigation by the Kansas City Missouri Police Department.

“This case shows how work at our nation’s ports of entry directly supports public safety in communities across the country and is a reminder that in today’s interconnected world, every city is a port city, and every city is a border city,” said Director of Field Operations Frank Russo of CBP’s New York Field Office. “CBP’s detection and post‑seizure analysis capabilities are a critical tool for connecting individual seizures to broader criminal activity. Our collaboration with ATF and local law enforcement in this case is a strong example of how information‑sharing can disrupt violent crime.”