The final push: Detectives thank public for their help and provide update into firearm amnesty so far with two days remaining
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has provided an update on their firearm amnesty initiative, recovering 72 readily convertible blank-firing weapons, with 66 handed in by the public and six seized during policing activities. Three of the seized weapons were found to be converted into lethal firearms. A man in his 20s was arrested in Oldham for possessing a convertible firearm, marking one of the first charges under new legislation. Since April 2021, GMP has recovered 315 viable firearms, with 119 being converted blank-firers. The amnesty aims to remove specific brands (Retay, Ekol, Ceonic ISSC, and Blow) from circulation. The article also highlights a 2023 incident in Salford where a 16-year-old was shot with a converted blank firearm, leading to four men being jailed. GMP urges the public to surrender any remaining firearms before the amnesty ends.
Greater Manchester Police have seized 72 Turkish-made blank-firing pistols in the first week of a national amnesty that began 3 February 2025, with 66 surrendered voluntarily by residents and shopkeepers and another six recovered through routine policing operations.
Three of the six seized weapons had already been converted into live firearms, officers revealed, underscoring warnings that the Retay, Ekol, Ceonic ISSC and Blow models can be turned lethal with basic tools. A pre-planned raid on Hardy Street, Oldham, earlier this month produced one of the first arrests under new legislation criminalising possession of these readily convertible blank-firers; a man in his 20s has been charged.
Since April 2021, GMP have taken 315 working guns off the streets, at least 119 of them converted blank-firers, and have linked 20 shootings—three causing serious injury—to the Turkish models. The most notorious case occurred in 2023 when a 16-year-old motorcyclist was shot in the arm and chest on a Salford street; the weapon was a converted blank and four men were later jailed for a combined 44 years.
Detective Superintendent Joe Harrop, who heads the force’s firearms recovery effort, praised residents for handing the weapons in and issued a final warning: “While a lot of these may have been legitimately and lawfully purchased, their possession is now illegal. However, you won’t face criminal prosecution if you surrender them within this period… should you fail to do that, you can expect to see us at your door in the near future.” Owners can surrender the pistols, wrapped in a bag or box, at any GMP front counter until the amnesty ends.
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