More than 1,000 top-venting blank firers handed in during national gun amnesty

As part of a national amnesty currently taking place for owners, of soon to be outlawed blank firing guns, to hand them over to police.

The top-venting blank firing (TVBF) guns have become popular with organised criminals in recent years due to the ease at which they are readily convertible into lethal firearms.

Tests by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and policing, funded by the Home Office, show models produced by four Turkish manufacturers are readily convertible and therefore illegal. TVBFs are legal to buy in the UK without a licence by over 18s unless they are readily convertible.

Police forces across England and Wales have been holding a four-week firearms amnesty for Turkish manufactured TVBFs namely models with the brand names ‘Retay’, ‘Ekol’, ‘Ceonic’ and ‘Blow’, although anyone with a TVBF who is unsure of whether the law change applies to them has been given the simple advice – if in doubt, hand it in.

Assistant Chief Constable Tim Metcalfe, National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for the Criminal Use of Firearms, said: “These weapons are readily convertible and therefore have been outlawed. Only with the public’s support can we get these potentially lethal weapons off the streets.

“What we have seen so far this month that the public have taken onboard the message and are visiting their local police station to hand in these weapons. It is important the public hand in these weapons to avoid them being used by criminals.

“Taking these weapons off the streets will stop them from being converted and go a significant way to help protect the public.”

So far, the amnesty has seen the following items handed in:

• 1,000 Turkish manufactured top-venting firers; and
• 3,000 rounds of ammunitions surrendered; this is primarily blank ammunition.

The amnesty started on February 3 and is due to end next week on Friday February 28, after which anyone in possession of a TVBF could be subject to prosecution and up to ten years imprisonment.

In their original state TVBFs have a fully blocked barrel and are designed to discharge only blank cartridges. When discharged, combustion gases vent from the top of the weapon. TVBFs are sold with at least 50 per cent of their visible surface painted a bright colour however, criminals may paint them black so they look like an original lethal purpose (OLP) weapon as well as convert them to a lethal purpose firearm.

Policing Minister, Dame Diana Johnson said: “Illegal firearms are dangerous and life-threatening, which is why we have such strong controls on them and we continue to keep all relevant laws under constant review.

“That’s why it’s important for any member of the public to hand these blank firers into their local police station, as it’s vital to take these illegal weapons off our streets to protect public safety.”

Since 2021, UK law enforcement has recovered more than 1,000 converted TVBFs in criminal circumstances. Firearms legislation has not changed; the weapons are illegal to own under the Firearms Act 1968 as they can be readily converted using common household tools and without specialist skill on the part of the person carrying out the conversion. Recent testing completed by the NCA has demonstrated this.

The NPCC says many TVBFs may be held in innocence and ignorance of their illegality or may be overlooked or forgotten in people’s homes. The amnesty gives holders the chance to dispose of the TVBFs safely by taking it to a local police station and handing it in.

NCA Deputy Director Charles Yates said: “These four Turkish brands have appeared routinely in investigations and there had been a strong demand for them from organised criminals. They posed a significant threat.

“Preventing the sale of these illegal guns will make it harder for offenders to acquire a firearm. By surrendering their top-venting blank-firers, members of the public have helped us in our ongoing mission to keep communities safe.

“The amnesty is just one example of how the NCA and policing work together relentlessly to protect the public from the threat of firearms.”

Other unwanted, unlicensed firearms and ammunition may be surrendered to police at any time which will avoid the risk of them becoming involved in criminality and means that members of the community can dispose of firearms in a safe place.