Nearly 3,000 top-venting blank firers handed in during national gun amnesty
Police forces across England and Wales have seen more than 2,900 Turkish manufactured guns handed in as part of a national amnesty which took place during February.
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 held a four-week firearms amnesty for Turkish manufactured TVBFs namely models with the brand names ‘Retay’, ‘Ekol’, ‘Ceonic’ and ‘Blow’, in February.
Assistant Chief Constable Tim Metcalfe, National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for the Criminal Use of Firearms, said: “This is a considerable step in making our streets safer and stopping these weapons from being used by criminals.
“I would like to thank the public for their support during the amnesty and handing in these weapons which are now illegal to possess.
“If you have any information about illegal firearms, such as the Turkish manufactured TVBF, I would ask you contact the police or Crimestoppers so that they can be taken off the streets.”
The amnesty which took place between February 3 and February 28, saw 2,962 Turkish manufactured top-venting firers and was aimed at anyone in possession of a TVBF to hand their weapon in to avoid 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.
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. Testing completed by the NCA has demonstrated this.
Charles Yates, NCA deputy director, said: “The amnesty results are excellent with very large numbers of surrenders of these easily converted firearms.
“This work is a superb example of the public and the firearms trade coming together to help reduce the risk of the criminal use of these weapons.
“Though firearms crime in the UK is relatively low compared with elsewhere in Europe and is among the lowest in the world, the NCA, policing and Border Force will continue to do everything possible to suppress the firearms threat and to protect the UK public.”
Other unwanted, unlicensed firearms and ammunition can also 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, says the NPCC.
Anyone now found in possession of a Turkish manufactured TVBF will face prosecution for the illegal possession and face up to ten years imprisonment.