West Midlands Police have seized illegal Turkish firearms, urging owners to surrender them at Coventry Central Police Station to prevent misuse.
West Midlands: Police have seized banned Turkish guns in a recent operation. They’re asking anyone with top-venting blank-firing handguns to bring them to Coventry Central Police Station.
These guns are designed to fire only blank cartridges. However, criminals can modify them to fire real bullets. They often paint them black to disguise their true nature.
Models like Retay, Ekol, Ceonic, and Blow are now illegal in the UK. If caught with one, you could face up to 10 years in prison.
Since 2021, around 800 of these guns have been taken off the streets. Some have been linked to serious crimes, including four homicides.
Recently, police executed a warrant in Birmingham and seized nine of these guns. A 43-year-old man was charged with illegal possession and conversion of firearms.
Police are encouraging people to surrender any Turkish-manufactured guns by February 28. You can drop them off at Coventry Central Police Station on Little Park Street.
Detective Chief Inspector Alastair Orencas emphasized that while gun crime is rare in the area, they take it seriously. Surrendering these weapons can help keep the community safe.
If you need advice on how to transport a weapon to the station, call 101. Report any illegal firearms activity to the police or Crimestoppers.
