National firearms amnesty launched ahead of new law change

The amnesty runs from Monday, February 3 to Friday, February 28, after which anyone found in possession of a TVBF could be subject to prosecution and face up to ten years in prison.

Owners of these TVBFs are being forewarned ahead of this law change, however, and will be given the chance to surrender these weapons to the police without worrying about getting into any trouble.

The police forces have said that 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.

What are TVBFs?

A spokesperson for the forces said: “Top-venting blank firers (TVBFs) are legal to buy in the UK without a licence by over 18s unless they are readily convertible. However, tests have shown that models produced by four Turkish manufacturers are readily convertible and therefore illegal. The prohibited brands are Retay, Ekol, Ceonic, and Blow.

“In their original state TVBFs have a fully blocked barrel 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, as well as converting them from blank firers to live firearms, criminals may also paint them black, so they look like an original lethal purpose (OLP) weapon.

“Since 2021, UK law enforcement has recovered more than 800 Turkish-manufactured TVBFs in criminal circumstances and converted blank firers have been used in at least four homicides in the UK in the last two years.

“Many TVBFs may be held in ignorance of their illegality or overlooked and forgotten in people’s homes. The amnesty gives holders the chance to dispose of these weapons safely by surrendering them at a designated police station.

“Other unwanted, unlicensed firearms and ammunition may be surrendered to police at any time following normal firearms surrender processes.”

Chief Inspector Kara Tombling from the Surrey Police and Sussex Police Firearms and Explosive Licensing Unit said: “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.

“We welcome the change in categorisation of these weapons that will allow us to remove these potentially lethal weapons from our streets, and I encourage anyone in possession of a TVBF to visit their nearest designated police station to hand them in.”

Assistant Chief Constable Tim Metcalfe, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for the Criminal Use of Firearms, said: “The top-venting blank firers are used by criminals and can be converted into lethal firearms.

“During the last two years, policing and the NCA has 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 top-venting blank firers from being converted will go a significant way to help protect the public.”

Designated stations for the amnesty

People can hand these blank firers in over the counter at designated police stations between these dates, while anyone unable to travel to one of these locations can call the police on 101 to request it be picked up from their home.

Anyone wishing to take part in the amnesty has been urged to use common sense when transporting their TVBF to one of the chosen stations – by placing them in a labelled bag or box and making their way straight there.

Top-Venting Blank Firers can be handed in at the following police stations across Surrey and Sussex:

Surrey • Guildford Police Station, Margaret Road, Guildford, GU1 4QS (open daily 8am-10pm) • Staines Police Station, Kingston Road, Staines, TW18 4LQ (open daily 8am-10pm) • Caterham Police Station, Timber Hill Road, Caterham, CR3 6LD (open daily 8am-10pm)

Sussex

West Sussex: • Chichester Police Station, Kingsham Road, Chichester, PO19 8AD (open Monday-Saturday 9am- 5pm) • Crawley Police Station, Northgate Avenue, Crawley, RH10 8BF (open Monday-Saturday 9am- 5pm) • Worthing Police Station, Chatsworth Road, Worthing, BN11 1LY (open Monday-Saturday 9am- 5pm)

Brighton: • Brighton Police Station, John Street, Brighton and Hove, BN2 0LA (open Monday-Sunday 8am-8pm)

East Sussex: • Eastbourne Customer Contact Point, Grove Road, Eastbourne, BN21 4TL (open Monday-Saturday 9am- 5pm) • Uckfield Police Station, New Town, Uckfield, TN22 5DL (open Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday 10am – 2pm) • Hastings Police Station, Bohemia Road, Hastings, TN34 1JJ (open Monday–Saturday 9am-5pm)