Amnesty for blank guns converted to live firearms

Blank-firing guns are designed for use in theatre and film, and as starting pistols

Police in Kent, Surrey and Sussex are holding an amnesty for four types of Turkish-made blank firing guns that are popular among organised crime groups.

Tests by the National Crime Agency (NCA) found top-venting blank firers (TVBFs) made by Retay, Ekol, Ceonic and Blow could easily be converted to shoot live rounds, so they were made illegal.

The amnesty is active from 3-28 February. Anyone found with a Retay, Ekol, Ceonic or Blow TVBF after next month faces up to ten years in prison.

"Gun crime in Surrey and Sussex remains very rare but we are not complacent about it, which is why we are taking part in this national campaign," said Ch Insp Kara Tombling.

Det Ch Ins Martin Davies, from Kent Police, said gun crime is also rare in his county.

"We want to keep it that way and that is why we are very keen for weapons such as these to be surrendered," he added.

It is legal for anyone aged over 18 in the UK to buy a TVBF without a licence unless they are readily convertible.

The weapons are made with a fully-blocked barrel and only fire blank cartridges. When fired, gas is emitted from the top of the gun.

They are also sold with at least half of their surface painted in a bright colour but criminals will often paint them black to look like a real gun.

Since 2021, UK police have seized roughly 800 TVBFs which were converted to fire live ammunition.

Retay, Ekol, Ceonic and Blow TVBF brands can be easily converted using simple tools. They were also used in four killings in the UK since 2022, according to the NCA.

The guns can be handed in at the following police stations:

Kent:

• Canterbury

• Folkestone

• Maidstone

• Margate

• Medway

• North Kent, Northfleet

• Tonbridge

Surrey:

• Guildford

• Staines

Sussex:

• Chichester

• Worthing

• Crawley

• Brighton

• Eastbourne

• Uckfield

• Hastings

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