County law enforcement officials are coordinating to crack down on the worsening “ghost gun” problem.

Two recent arrests in Monterey County have brought further attention to untraceable, homemade firearms known as “ghost guns,” with local law enforcement officials saying they’re coordinating to crack down on the problem.

Tuesday, Jan. 24 saw a pair of separate and unrelated ghost gun busts in the county. In Seaside, police raided a home on the 1200 block of Trinity Avenue and discovered what they describe as a ghost gun manufacturing lab – including roughly half a dozen firearms in various stages of assembly and a 3D printer allegedly used to create gun components, according to Seaside Police Chief Nick Borges. They arrested 18-year-old Eriberto Rezsendez-Cardenas on eight separate charges, including the unlawful manufacturing of firearms and possession of large-capacity magazines. Rezsendez-Cardenas was later released from Monterey County Jail on $35,000 bail.

In Marina that same day, police searched a home on the 3000 block of Owen Avenue on suspicion of child abuse and discovered two firearms, including a “ghost” assault rifle, as well as ammunition and high-capacity magazines, according to the Marina Police Department. Authorities arrested 32-year-old Joseph Ordaz-Hoang on three charges, including unlawful possession of an assault weapon; he was released on $50,000 bail.

It is not clear whether either suspect has yet retained an attorney.

In addition to being “a massive problem at a national level,” Borges says untraceable ghost guns have become increasingly prevalent in local gun arrests. He notes that assemblers often use 3D printers to design and replicate the lower portion of a gun, while putting the upper portion together through parts that can be procured legally through the internet. The guns can sell anywhere from $200 to $1,000 on the street, according to Borges. “You can sit at home and order everything you need to operate a gun,” he says. “That’s a huge problem.”

Law enforcement officials across the county have noticed the issue enough to begin coordinating on ghost gun-related matters. Borges cites a regional meeting last week involving detectives from the Salinas, Monterey and Seaside police departments.

Jeff Hoyne, chief deputy of enforcement operations at the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, says recently installed Sheriff Tina Nieto intends to prioritize inter-department collaboration on issues including ghost guns. “Her philosophy is that we’re going to be a leader in the county in helping to coordinate more cooperative efforts [between agencies],” Hoyne says.

Prosecutors are also bracing for more activity. Monterey County Chief Assistant District Attorney Berkley Brannon says the untraceable firearms add to what is already an “ocean of illegal guns” that are favored to perpetrate crimes and are mostly unaffected by traditional gun control measures.

“[Ghost guns] will add to the number of guns which exist, and I believe their main purpose is to commit crimes,” Brannon says. “They are an epidemic, and they further undermine traditional efforts at gun control.”