A four-week firearms amnesty will take place in Cumbria after Turkish manufactured top-venting blank firers are now illegal to possess.
The TVBFs are now illegal, following testing by the National Crime Agency and police.
The amnesty will take place from February 3 to February 28. After this time, anyone in possession of a top-venting blank firer could be subject to prosecution and up to 10 years of imprisonment.
During the amnesty period, those handing in a Turkish manufactured TVBF will not face prosecution for the illegal possession and will not have to give their details.
However, the history of any live firearms handed in will be checked for evidence if its use in crime.
Tests by the National Crime Agency and police, funded by the Home Office, showed models produced by four Turkish manufacturers were readily convertible and therefore illegal.
Top-venting blank firers (TVBFs) are legal to buy in the UK without a licence by over-18s unless they are readily convertible.
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 as well as convert them to a lethal purpose firearm.
Since 2021, UK law enforcement has recovered more than 800 of the guns in criminal circumstances and converted blank firers have been used in at least four homicides in the UK in the last two years.
The firearms concerned are all top-venting or forward-venting models of the Turkish brands: Retay, Ekol, Ceonic and Blow.
Firearms legislation has now changed – these 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.
Police are asking people to hand in any TVBFs before February 28 to help them avoid prosecution and prevent these pistols getting into the wrong hands.
Many TVBFs may be held in innocence and ignorance of their illegality, having been obtained originally when lawful and for a legitimate purpose.
The amnesty gives holders the chance to dispose of the TVBFs safely by taking it to a local police station and handing it in.
The stations in Cumbia where you can hand in your blank-firing guns are:
North
- Carlisle, Durranhill
- Penrith, Hunter Lane
South
- Barrow Police Station
- Kendal Police Station
West
- Whitehaven Police Station
- Workington Police Station
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.
Chief Superintendent Carl Patrick, of Cumbria police, said: “Whilst gun crime is rare, we are not complacent, which is why we are joining police forces across the country in supporting the amnesty
“Tests have shown TVBFs can be readily converted into firearms, therefore making them illegal to possess.
“Surrendering top-venting blank firers manufactured by Blow, Ceonic, Ekol and Retay now will help prevent them getting into the wrong hands in the future and being used by criminals.
“We want as many top-venting blank firers as possible to be handed in and I encourage anyone in possession of one to visit their local police station to hand them in.”
To receive advice on how best to transport the weapon responsibly from home to the police station, call 101 before travelling.
