South West police collect 30 surrendered gel blasters, call on community to hand in more before outlawed

South West police are encouraging community members to take up an amnesty to surrender their gel blasters before the weapons are banned this week. About 30 of the replica guns, which shoot water-filled gel pellets, have been handed in across the South West so far, but crime prevention and diversity officer Senior Constable Neale Horsley said he believed more were out there. Sen. Const. Horsley is pushing residents to “do the right thing” and give up the blasters to their local police station before they are outlawed from Saturday. “Gel blasters come in all types of imitation firearms from rifles to pistols, which are very realistic and can easily be mistaken for a real firearm,” he said. “This can easily create fear within the community, which has been highlighted by an incident on June 19 where two adult males discharged a gel blaster rifle at the BP Placid Ark Service Station in Coolup sending the business into lockdown and initiating a police response and charges to be laid.” Police Minister Paul Papalia said the ban was in response to people misusing the blasters and them being mistaken for real firearms. He said police were aware of criminal interest in the weapons because of their appearance and the ability to adapt them into a firearm. West Australians possessing gel blasters and ammunition from Saturday will face a penalty of up to three years imprisonment or a fine of up to $36,000.