National firearms amnesty: hand in your blank firing guns safely
From 3rd to 28th February 2025, UK police forces and law enforcement agencies will be running a national firearms amnesty for Turkish manufactured top-venting blank firers (TVBF) which are now illegal to possess.
After the amnesty, anyone found to be in possession of a TVBF could be subjected to prosecution and up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
What is a Turkish Top Venting Blank Firer (TVBF)?
TVBFs are blank firing guns that have a fully blocked barrel and are designed to discharge only blank cartridges. They are often brightly coloured, with some models featuring distinctive blue or pink top slides, however many people intending to use the guns for criminal activities paint them black to imitate a real firearm.
In the UK, these weapons have been legal to own without a licence unless deemed ‘readily convertible’. However, new evidence shows that these firearms are increasingly linked to criminal activities, including intimidation and attempting to look like a genuine handgun. The particular models (outlined below) that police are calling for in this amnesty can be easily modified to discharge live ammunition, making them illegal under the Firearms Act 1968.
Why this matters?
Over 10,000 TVBFs are estimated to be in circulation in the UK, either in private ownership or retail stock. Recent statistics provided by the National Ballistics Intelligence Service and the National Crime Agency reveal alarming trends, with over 800 TVBFs seized in criminal circumstances since 2021 and at least 4 homicides reported involving TVBFs since 2023.
Law enforcement agencies have flagged TVBFs as a significant threat to public safety. This has prompted stricter measures, including halting imports in August 2021 and advising retailers to cease trading these devices as of October 2024.
What do I need to know about the amnesty?
From 3rd to 28th February, a nationwide amnesty will be running across the UK.
While many TVBFs may be held in innocence and ignorance of their illegality or may be overlooked or forgotten about in people’s homes, this amnesty is a chance to dispose and discard of them safely by bringing them to a local police station. You will not be prosecuted for owning one and you may remain anonymous.
If you choose not to surrender your TVBF during the amnesty, you could face prosecution if found to own one in the future.
The models we are asking for people to hand over are Top-Venting Blank firers manufactured by any of the following:
- BLOW
- CEONIC
- EKOL
- RETAY
How and where can I hand my TVBF in?
You may bring your TVBF into any of your local police stations, however, we are strongly encouraging people to bring them to one of the following, if possible:
If you cannot attend one of the above, please take it to your nearest local station but ensure you check the opening hours on our website before you visit.
To ensure safety when transporting your TVBF, please:
- Place it in a bag or box to carry it out of public sight
- Make a specific journey solely for this purpose to avoid being in public with the item longer than necessary
- Once you arrive, please make clear you are here to hand in a firearm to the Enquiry Officers before presenting it to them
FAQs
How do I know if mine is one of the listed for this amnesty?
The firearms included in this amnesty are specifically Turkish manufactured top-venting blank firers from BLOW, CEONIC, EKOL or RETAY. This is because these have been shown to be ‘readily convertible’ and therefore illegal to own. These often have brightly coloured pink or blue tops, however, they may have been painted black.
Images below show you the models, if you are unsure you can still bring them in and surrender them as part of this amnesty.
Can we hand in other firearms during the amnesty?
Yes, however the amnesty only applies to top-venting blank firers. If you have unwanted firearms or ammunition, you can still hand them into your local police station as per normal surrender procedures.
Isn’t this just giving criminals with these firearms an escape route?
The force is committed to robustly investigating anything believed to be linked to serious crime. The amnesty of these TVBFs removed potential future firearms from circulation, whilst allowing those who legally purchased them to hand them in without prosecution for a limited time period. We work closely with the National Crime Agency to share intelligence relating to the criminal firearms marketplace. This work directly enabled operational activity and proactive targeting of organised criminal groups in the UK and overseas.
What if I have a firearms licence?
This amnesty does not affect the firearms held by licenced firearms holders.