In January, federal agents seized a pair of websites that were brazenly peddling illegal machine gun conversion devices (MCDs) imported from China, according to recently unsealed court records filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
The domains, happyglockswitch[.]xyz and happygswitch[.]com, were seized by federal law enforcement agents following an investigation that also resulted in the seizure of two cryptocurrency accounts used to process payments. The sites were marketing MCDs known as “Glock switches” and “auto sears” — small devices that convert semi-automatic Glock-style pistols and AR-15s into fully automatic weapons, respectively.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE MCD INVESTIGATION
According to a seizure warrant application, federal agents made several undercover purchases to confirm the domains were actively selling the illegal components. The items were smuggled into the United States inside air cargo shipments from China, packaged inside other goods — including camp stoves and a screwdriver set — to avoid detection by customs officials.
Court filings also included screenshots of the websites’ product galleries displaying the illegal switches in an array of colors. The websites offered a 5-percent referral discount and invited customers to “Add Signal or WhatsApp to make a video call to inspect the goods” before purchasing. The court filings indicate that the federal agents communicated with the website vendors on iMessage, Telegram, WhatsApp, and Signal to arrange undercover sales.
Visitors to the seized domains now see a government notice warning that the sites have been taken down “as part of a law enforcement action” and advising anyone who purchased items from the sites to contact law enforcement to arrange surrender of the illegal parts. The courts also authorized federal agents to freeze two accounts at cryptocurrency exchange OKX, seize all funds, and transfer them to a wallet controlled by U.S. law enforcement.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, authorities targeting switch vendors have seized approximately 360 internet domains, more than 3,000 MCDs, 282 firearms, 124 silencers, and over 12,000 rounds of ammunition to date — continuing an operation first made public in September 2024.
the rising tide of switches
According to the court filings, the seized sites marketed many of the MCDs as “Glock switches,” though Glock itself does not manufacture conversion devices and the products violate its trademark. However, the Austrian gun maker is facing lawsuits in Baltimore, Chicago, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Seattle over how easily its pistols can be converted with the aftermarket devices.
The proliferation of MCDs, particularly Glock switches, has also alarmed law enforcement nationwide. According to the ATF, police recovered over 31,000 MCDs between 2019 and 2024, and pistols modified with Glock switches have been involved in at least 20 mass shootings across the U.S. in recent years.
Recently, the Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund released an updated “Who Is Manufacturing the Guns Used in Crimes?” report, which draws on data collected through its partnership with Mayors Against Illegal Guns. The report found that in 2024 alone, 28 U.S. cities reported recovering more than 1,100 Glock switches. In the 17 cities that tracked the devices over five years, recoveries increased sevenfold since 2020.