Police are holding a four-week firearms amnesty for Turkish-made top-venting blank firers (TVBFs), which from the start of March will be illegal to possess.
The amnesty runs to Friday, February 28. Then 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, and will be given the chance to surrender these weapons to the police. During the amnesty, those handing in a Turkish manufactured TVBF will not face prosecution for the illegal possession and will not have to give their details.
What they say
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.”
People can hand these blank firers in over the counter at designated police stations, 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.
