Firearm amnesty hopes to seize blank firing handguns popular with organised criminals
Devon and Cornwall Police are taking part in a month-long nationwide firearm amnesty which aims to encourage the public to surrender Turkish Top-venting blank firing (TVBF) guns which can be converted into lethal weapons.
Following a change in classification in August 2024, certain models of TVBF guns are now illegal to own. Both individuals and organisations will be able to hand in their weapons during the amnesty period from February 3 to February 28 and will not be prosecuted for possession of a prohibited weapon.
Imports into the UK of this type of gun were ceased in August 2024 and local retailers were advised to cease selling the devices as of October 2024, ahead of the amnesty.
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The reason for the ban was tests by firearms experts found that some models - in particular four Turkish models - Retay, Ekol, Ceonic ISSC and Blow - were easily convertible to use live ammunition, making then potentially lethal.
The National Crime Agency has previously said these types of gun, after conversion, were used in at least four killings in the UK in the last two years.
Devon and Cornwall Police want any owners of these guns to surrender them at their local police station. Work has been carried out with local retailers to ensure they are not available to purchase.
Chief Insp Alexander Cooper, said: "Gun crime in Devon and Cornwall is very low, but we remain proactive in keeping weapons off the streets. Members of the public in possession of this type of gun may not be aware that they are banned, hence the Firearms Amnesty, which will take place during February.
"We urge anyone who owns one of these to hand it in to their local police station. By seeking to remove this type of gun from our streets, we aim to continue to keep the public of Devon and Cornwall safe.
"Together with our partners we continually work hard to educate people about firearms and the dangers that come with them, to ensure that gun crime doesn’t become prevalent in the future. After February 28, 2025 anyone found in possession of one of the listed guns may be prosecuted."
Diana Johnson MP, Minister of State for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention, said: "Dangerous criminals will always look for new ways to acquire weapons, but we remain vigilant in taking them out of their hands. These weapons are illegal and it is vital any member of the public possessing these blank firers hands them into their local police station.
"We will continue to keep the legislation on dangerous weapons under constant review to react to new threats and support police to make our streets safer."
NCA Deputy Director Charles Yates, added: "Although firearms crime in the UK is relatively low compared to Europe and is among the lowest in the world, these converted guns pose a significant threat.
"Protecting the public from the threat of firearms is a principal priority for the NCA and partners in policing and Border Force.
"It is crucial that we work with industry partners to prevent any further access to these easily converted firearms."
Assistant Chief Constable Tim Metcalfe, National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for the criminal use of firearms, said: "These firearms are very appealing to criminals and offenders who convert them can generate large profits. During the last two years, policing and the NCA have identified and disrupted several workshops used to convert these pistols into lethal weapons.
"In the same period, large numbers of converted weapons were recovered across multiple locations, alongside thousands of rounds of blank calibre and modified ammunition. One investigation recovered more than 400 converted weapons from a single crime group. There is a strong demand for them evidenced by the numbers imported and subsequent recovery from criminals.
"Stopping the sale of these guns will go a significant way to help protect the public."
Why these guns and why now?
In their original state Top-venting blank firers (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 percent of their visible surface painted a bright colour but criminals paint them black so they look like an original lethal purpose (OLP) weapon.
But since 2021, UK law enforcement has recovered 800 of the guns converted to fire live ammunition. Such is their popularity with criminals, the number of discharges during 2023 from TVBFs outnumbered those of original lethal purpose (OLP) firearms - 64 compared to 42.
The firearms are the Turkish models: Retay, Ekol, Ceonic ISSC and Blow. They were used in at least four killings in the UK in the last two years.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) and police chiefs, funded by the Home Office, commissioned testing of these guns last year and the results showed they were readily convertible with common DIY tools without specialist skills.
All models tested were test fired successfully using improvised ammunition of the sort commonly recovered from crime scenes.
The four brands – which overwhelmingly account for the number of TVBFs in UK circulation – have been shown to be illegal under section 1(6) of the Firearms Act 1982, meaning that they are prohibited firearms under section 5 (1) of the Firearms Act 1968.