Gun amnesty begins in Berkshire and north Hampshire
Thames Valley and Hampshire Police forces are part of the amnesty
Thames Valley and Hampshire Police forces are supporting a firearms amnesty for Turkish manufactured top-venting blank firers (TVBFs), which are now illegal to possess.
It will take place between Monday 3 February to Friday 28 February, after which anyone in possession of these particular firearms could be subject to prosecution and up to 10 years imprisonment.
Tests by the National Crime Agency and policing, funded by the Home Office, show models produced by four Turkish manufacturers are readily convertible and therefore illegal.
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 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 are the Turkish brands: Retay, Ekol, Ceonic and Blow.
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.
The amnesty for TVBFs will be held for four weeks. 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.
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.
The weapons can be handed in at the northern investigation centre in Basingstoke, and Police stations in Reading, Loddon Valley, Maidenhead and Newbury.