Campaign to support national firearms amnesty gets underway

Durham Constabulary is taking part in a national four-week Firearms Amnesty for Turkish manufactured top-venting blank firers (TVBFs) which are now illegal to possess following testing by the National Crime Agency.

The amnesty will take place between 3 to 28 February 2025, after which anyone in possession of a top-venting blank firer (TVBF) could be subject to prosecution and up to 10 years imprisonment.

Many TVBFs may be held in innocence and ignorance of their illegality or may be overlooked or forgotten in people’s homes. The amnesty gives holders the chance to dispose of the TVBFs safely by taking it to a local police station and handing it in. See the list of stations and opening times on our website.

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.

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. Recent testing completed by the NCA has demonstrated this. The police are asking people to hand in any TVBFs before 28 February 2025 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 or may be overlooked or forgotten in people’s homes. The amnesty gives holders the chance to dispose of the TVBFs safely by taking it to a local police station and handing it in.

A Durham Constabulary spokesperson said: “Gun crime in County Durham and Darlington is very rare, but we are not complacent. Tests have shown that top-venting blank-firing firearms can be converted into working firearms, making them now illegal to own.

“The national Turkish top-venting firearms amnesty encourages anyone in possession of blank firers manufactured by BLOW, CEONIC, EKOL, or RETAY to hand them in at their local police station.

“Surrendering these items now could prevent them falling into the wrong hands and being used by criminals.”

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 minimise being in public
• Make it clear upon arrival that you are here to hand in a firearm

If you know of people involved in illegal firearms activity, call the police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.