London ( CNN ) -- Police in England said Friday they have seized what could be the parts for Britain 's first firearm made using 3-D printing -- but later said more testing is needed to establish if this is the case . An initial news release from Greater Manchester Police said officers had found `` a 3D printer and what is suspected to be a 3D plastic magazine and trigger which could be fitted together to make a viable 3D gun '' when they searched locations Thursday in the Baguley area , near Manchester in northwest England . But after doubts were raised , the force released a second statement stressing that the parts were still being examined . `` We need to be absolutely clear that at this stage , we can not categorically say we have recovered the component parts for a 3D gun , '' Assistant Chief Constable Steve Heywood said . `` What we have seized are items that need further forensic testing by national ballistics experts to establish whether they can be used in the construction of a genuine , viable firearm . `` We will also be conducting a thorough analysis of computers we have recovered to establish any evidence of a blueprint on how to construct such a weapon . '' U.S.-based tech blog Gigaom reported that it appeared the items police suspected of being gun components were in fact spare parts for the 3D printer . The raid that netted the items was part of a planned week of action against criminal gangs in Manchester , police said . A man has been arrested on suspicion of making gunpowder and is being questioned . 3-D printed guns a boon for criminals ? In his statement , Heywood said the seizure had prompted discussion around the potential threats posed by 3-D printing . `` Clearly the fact we have seized a 3D printer and have intelligence about the possible production of a weapon using this technology is of concern . It ( is ) prudent we establish exactly what these parts can be used for and whether they pose any threat , '' he said . `` What this has also done is open up a wider debate about the emerging threat these next generation of weapons might pose . '' Printing instructions . Others have also raised concerns about the potential for 3-D printing to be used to create weapons . U.S. requires group to remove 3-D gun instructions from its website . This year , the U.S. State Department ordered Defense Distributed , a nonprofit group set up by a Texas law student , to remove instructions for printing a handgun with a 3-D printer from its website . Video shows test-firing of 3-D printed handgun . The group 's founder , Cody Wilson , had posted a video online showing a single shot being fired from `` The Liberator , '' a plastic handgun that , with the exception of a metal firing pin and a piece of metal included to comply with the Undetectable Firearms Act , was assembled entirely from parts made with a 3-D printer . Wilson complied with the order , but not before the design had been downloaded more than 100,000 times . The Victoria and Albert Museum in London subsequently acquired two models of the Liberator pistol , which were put on display last month as part of a design exhibition . The Science Museum in London also has a Liberator on display . CNN 's Lindsay Isaac and Arion McNicoll contributed to this report .
NEW : Police say more testing is needed after doubts are raised over suspected gun parts . Police said they found a 3-D printer along with a suspected 3-D plastic magazine and trigger . Police are questioning a man arrested on suspicion of making gunpowder . A Texan student was made to take down online instructions for printing a handgun this summer .