More than 60 Turkish-made handguns have been removed from the streets of the West Midlands as part of a national weapons amnesty, police said.
The TVBF (top venting blank firer) guns, which had been converted into viable weapons, were handed in to designated police stations across the region throughout February.
Police said the 62 guns have now been made safe and are being destroyed.
The National Crime Agency has identified four brands of TVBF – Retay, Ekol, Ceonic and Blow – which are now deemed illegal like other firearms.
Criminals convert blank-firing guns into real weapons
Anyone caught with one can now face up to 10 years in prison.
In their original state, TVBFs have a blocked barrel, a visible painted surface and are designed to discharge only blank cartridges.
Criminals paint them black so they look like an original lethal-purpose weapon, as well as converting them into fully functioning firearms, police said.
Converted handguns used in four murders since 2021
Since 2021 UK law enforcement officers have recovered 800 of converted blank-firer guns which have been used in at least four murders.
Detective Chief Inspector Alastair Orencas, of West Midlands Police, said: “I am grateful to the public for their support with this amnesty. It’s good news that we have taken so many of these weapons off the streets of the West Midlands, and shows why these blank-firers must no longer be kept under any circumstances.
“Thankfully gun crime in our region is rare but being part of this amnesty has meant fewer weapons will end up in the wrong hands.”
