Resident,

Thirty-one blank firing guns and ammunition have been handed in to Derbyshire police stations during a month long amnesty.

The national amnesty began in February after tests from the National Crime Agency found certain types of blank firers, from the Turkish brands of Retay, Ekol, Ceonic and Blow, were readily convertible and therefore illegal.

As the amnesty has now concluded, it is illegal to possess these types of firers and someone found in possession of these firearms could face up to ten years in prison.

Detective Inspector Christopher Barker said: “Thankfully gun related crime is very rare in Derbyshire, but we continue to be proactive in keeping this risk low.

“Even when innocently owned there’s always a possibility of these firers getting into the wrong hands, which is why we encourage anyone thinking of buying any type of firearm to do thorough research and ensure they know how to dispose of it properly if needed.”

“We will continue to work with local partners to tackle organised crime and keep our communities safe.”

Unwanted firearms can be handed into local police stations, if you’re unsure and need further advice regarding firearms please contact us via our non-emergency means.

Anyone with information about illegally owned firearms is encouraged to report this to us, you can also do this anonymously via CrimeStoppers: Give information - weapons | Crimestoppers.