Latest news with #Ceonic
BBC News
07-03-2025
- BBC News
Cache of illegal blank firing guns handed in to police amnesty
More than 40 guns which fire blanks were handed into Surrey Police and Sussex Police following a four-week firearms plea for Turkish-manufactured top-venting blank firers (TVBFs) ran the entire month of weapons are legal for over-18s to buy in the UK without a license however testing has shown some, prohibited brands are possible to convert into viable handguns. Surrey Police and Sussex Police Firearms and Explosive Licensing Unit said 42 illegal TVBFs were handed in to stations during the amnesty. Possession of prohibited brands - Retay, Ekol, Ceonic and Blow - can carry sentences of up to 10 years. Legal TBVFs have a fully blocked barrel which can only discharge blanks and they are also recognisable as they are partially painted a bright colour. Illegal versions have been adapted to fire live rounds and are sometimes painted black to resemble a real handgun. According to police, converted blank firers have been used in at least four homicides in the UK in the last two years. Ch Insp Kara Tombling said: "We want to reassure the public that gun crime in Surrey and Sussex remains very rare, and the number of firearms handed in reflect that. "The seizure of these illegal top-venting blank firers will go a significant way to help protect the public."The amnesty is now over, but other unwanted, unlicensed firearms and ammunition may be surrendered to police at any time following normal firearms surrender processes."
BBC News
05-03-2025
- BBC News
Haul of blank firing guns handed into Nottinghamshire police
More than 40 guns which fire blanks and hundreds of rounds of ammunition have been handed into Nottinghamshire Police during a four week national amnesty. Forces across the country have taken part in the amnesty with the aim of removing 'top venting blank firers' (TVBFs) from circulation. It followed tests from the National Crime Agency which found four Turkish-manufactured TVBFs - 'Retay', 'Ekol', 'Ceonic' and 'Blow' - could be converted into viable handguns. TVBFs are legal to buy in the UK unless they can be converted into a viable firearm, which means the four brands of Turkish TVBF were declared illegal from 28 February. The national amnesty ran from 4 February to 28 February and resulted in 42 blank firers and more than 500 rounds of blank and live ammunition being turned in at police stations across Nottinghamshire. Det Supt Christopher Sullivan, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "We are pleased by the results of this amnesty which have allowed us to take more than 40 potential weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition off the streets and out of harm's way."
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Yahoo
Blank-firing guns handed in during police amnesty
A number of blank-firing guns have been handed in to Derbyshire Police during an amnesty this month. The force said it had accepted 13 so-called top-venting blank firing (TVBF) weapons at police stations since 3 February as part of a national initiative. Officers said the blank-firing guns will cease to be legal to own after 28 February. TVBF firearms are popular with organised criminals because they can be readily converted into lethal guns, the force said. The amnesty applies to the weapons made by Turkish manufacturers with the brand names Retay, Ekol, Ceonic and Blow. However, Derbyshire Police said it urged anyone who is unsure whether the changing law applies to them to hand in their gun. The force said TVBF weapons could be handed in at Pear Tree and St Mary's Wharf police stations and Derby and at Chesterfield and Buxton police stations. Follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Derbyshire Police
BBC News
22-02-2025
- BBC News
Blank-firing guns handed in during a Derbyshire police amnesty
A number of blank-firing guns have been handed in to Derbyshire Police during an amnesty this force said it had accepted 13 so-called top-venting blank firing (TVBF) weapons at police stations since 3 February as part of a national said the blank-firing guns will cease to be legal to own after 28 firearms are popular with organised criminals because they can be readily converted into lethal guns, the force said. The amnesty applies to the weapons made by Turkish manufacturers with the brand names Retay, Ekol, Ceonic and Derbyshire Police said it urged anyone who is unsure whether the changing law applies to them to hand in their force said TVBF weapons could be handed in at Pear Tree and St Mary's Wharf police stations and Derby and at Chesterfield and Buxton police stations.
BBC News
31-01-2025
- BBC News
Lincolnshire Police backs amnesty on DIY-convertible blank guns
An amnesty has been announced for owners of four types of Turkish-made blank firing guns that can be easily converted to fire live by the National Crime Agency (NCA) found top-venting blank firers (TVBFs) made by Retay, Ekol, Ceonic and Blow could be converted using just basic DIY guns are popular with organised criminals and have been used in at least four killings over the past two years, the agency Police is supporting the amnesty, which runs from 3 to 28 February, and is urging owners of the firearms to hand them in. TVBFs are legal to buy in the UK without a licence by over 18s. They can be used in theatre or film, as starting pistols, or at demonstration their original state, they have a fully blocked barrel and are designed to discharge only blank testing by the NCA found the four models were "readily convertible with common DIY tools without specialist skills", and therefore those models are ballistics intelligence service co-ordinator PC Gareth King said: "The ease at how these types of weapons can be readily converted into lethal barrelled firearms is alarming."These types of weapons regularly change hands and move around the country for criminal use."Police across the country have seized about 800 TVBFs converted to fire live ammunition since 2021, the NCA Police urged people in possession of the models to hand them in at police stations in:BostonGranthamLincoln (South Park Avenue)LouthSkegnessSleafordSpaldingAnyone found guilty of possessing a Retay, Ekol, Ceonic or Blow TVBF after next month could face a prison sentence of up to 10 to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
