GMP approach gun dealers to surrender illegal firearms

Greater Manchester Police have recovered a large quantity of blank-firing weapons after approaching registered dealers and gun clubs.

GMP’s Firearms Licensing Unit has approached registered dealers and gun clubs as part of a national amnesty to recover Turkish manufactured Top-Venting Blank-Firing (TVBF) firearms, which runs until Friday, February 28, 2025. 

This engagement, which is continuing but started back in November 2024, has seen a total of 18 dealers surrender the blank-firing firearms. 

Models Retay, Ekol, Ceonic ISSC and Blow were legitimately purchased by their owners at the time but are now illegal due to how easily convertible they are. 

This week Sufiaan Ali of Hardy Street, Glodwick, was one of the first offenders charged with possession of a readily convertible firearm as part of the crackdown on Turkish manufactured Top Venting Blank Firers.  

There are 40 registered firearms dealers and more than 20-gun clubs in Greater Manchester, all of which were contacted by the Firearms Licensing Unit ahead of the amnesty to inform them that these were now prohibited weapons - as per direction from the National Crime Agency. 

Officers ensured they understood what this meant for them and collected the surrendered weapons. 

On the back of this engagement, it also led customers to hand in several firearms, with one customer handing in six, which were destroyed by the retailer and surrendered to GMP. 

Engaging with registered firearms dealers, gun clubs and owners is part of the Firearms Licensing Team’s daily business, as they ensure that those who do keep firearms are doing so legally, without risk to the public. 

The licensing unit will step in and remove guns when there is a possible escalation of risk, especially if those guns are illegal to possess. 

Firearms & Explosives Licensing Manager Simon Akker from our Serious Crime Division said: "As part of our ongoing firearms amnesty, the Firearms Licensing Unit has been working closely with local retailers and gun clubs to proactively recover blank-firing weapons. 

“Our collaborative approach has been critical, as blank-firing weapons pose a significant risk to our community. 

“These seemingly inert devices can be illegally modified into viable and dangerous firearms, potentially falling into the hands of criminals, which we know has already happened here and across the country. 

“By maintaining open communication and providing clear guidance, we've seen significant voluntary surrenders. Members of the public can also play their part by handing in any of these weapons before the amnesty deadline, as if you do so now, you won’t face prosecution for possessing an illegal weapon.” 

More information about our firearm amnesty, and where weapons can be surrendered to, can be found here: We pledge our support to a national amnesty aiming to recover Turkish manufactured Top-Venting Blank-Firing (TVBF) firearms from our streets | Greater Manchester Police