Jail threat for using gel blaster guns in Victoria

A type of toy firearm, known as gel blaster guns, look so realistic that anyone carrying one could soon face jail in Victoria.

The gel guns have been sold overseas and over the internet. Picture: David Crosling

Gel blaster guns banned in Victoria will soon attract the same tough penalties as imitation firearms.

Police say prohibition of gel guns is a critical community safety measure after their “regular” use in high-level crimes, including home invasions.

Senior officers say there have been a number of cases where those carrying the guns came close to being shot because of their resemblance to the real thing.

Existing penalties for possessing an imitation firearm are severe.

A person not prohibited from owning a gun can attract a prison term of up to two years and those who are banned are liable for a stretch of up to 10.

Superintendent of Licensing and Registration Dan Trimble with a range of gel guns. Picture: David Crosling

Many people have bought gel blasters — which fire small water-based pellets — from interstate and overseas on the internet.

People could previously get a gel blaster legally through a Governors in Council exemption from the Department of Justice and Community Safety but this is no longer the case.

Police say anyone who bought a gun through that method or who has one for another reason should now surrender it.

Supt Dan Trimble said it was almost impossible to distinguish some gel guns from the real thing.

They have been taken from suspects involved in sieges, family violence matters and home invasions.

Police say the gel guns are being used in high-level crimes, including home invasions. Picture: David Crosling

“People can’t tell the difference,” he said.

Supt Trimble said more than half of those confiscated by police had been seized during the course of an unrelated search warrant.

Many were found in the possession of drug dealers who wanted them for protection.

Cases in which gel guns have been found have included:

• Their seizure among 36 real and imitation guns in an illicit firearms unit raid at Frankston.

• In the bag of a man arrested by critical incident response team officers at Southern Cross railway station.

• A carload of men firing at road workers and service station customers in the Werribee area.

• A gel gun with a laser pointer was found in a Seaford drug raid.