INDIANAPOLIS — A 17-year-old is facing drug and weapons charges after Indianapolis police seized 20 machine gun conversion devices from his home.

Because machine conversion devices have become increasingly easy for people to produce on their own, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) said the bust illustrates a growing problem and an ongoing public safety fight.

On Thursday of last week, IMPD arrived at a home on English Oak Drive to serve a search warrant.

Once inside, officers seized two illegally possessed guns, as well marijuana, heroin, 30 THC vape cartridges and most alarming, 20 homemade machine gun conversion devices.

“This is just a new version of the drug trade. It’s just you can’t smoke it or ingest it, but you can put it on your gun to further your criminal enterprise,” said IMPD Lt. Mark Rand.

Rand said machine gun conversion devices, like the ones seized in this case, can be 3D printed and easily installed. That makes them a huge threat to public safety.

“We’re targeting those more and more and trying to remove as many as we can because those devices present such a clear and present danger to everyone,” Rand said.

For several months before his arrest, the 17-year-old suspect regularly posted pictures on social media, posing with large numbers of illegal weapons, according to police.

“This is not an isolated incident. This goes on every day,” said Kareem Hines with New Breed of Youth.

Anti-violence advocates like Hines said more and more kids are using weapons as status symbols and overcoming that mindset isn’t easy.

“Right now that is the new clout. Having guns and having access to guns, these kids are using guns and switches to put themselves on a pedestal,” said Hines.

This Saturday, Hines is launching a Guns Down, Gloves Up youth boxing program. The goal is to teach kids many life lessons, including the consequences of illegal gun possession.

“If we’re gonna tell them to put the guns down, what are we replacing the guns with?” said Hines. “We’re not promoting you to use your fist to settle conflict. What we are promoting is self-control and self-respect.”

According to the affidavit filed in the case, when police showed up to search the teen’s home, the suspect’s 60-year-old father shut the door and kept police outside for 30 minutes before the pair surrendered.

That led to the father being arrested on obstruction of justice charges.

In its own social media post promoting the arrests, IMPD wrote, “There is no doubt that Indianapolis is a safer place with these illegally possessed firearms and 20 machine gun conversion devices off of our streets along with the deadly heroin as well. “

It will ultimately be up to the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office to file formal charges in this case.