Fake guns, real danger: Malaysian police warn against gel-blasters

Malaysian police are taking aim at imitation guns, known as gel-blasters, which some criminals have been using to commit crimes.

- Vihanya Rakshika

These guns, marketed as toys, closely resemble real firearms and can be easily purchased online from e-commerce platforms and even social media sites such as TikTok starting from RM150 (S$45).

In 2023, 148 crimes were reported in which such imitation firearms were used, with the majority of incidents involving robberies, reported Malaysian daily The New Straits Times (NST) on Dec 23. The problem has continued into 2024, with 36 cases recorded between January and November.

Malaysian police have been actively addressing this issue, with Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain noting that the authorities are focusing on tackling the sale of these items, NST added.

On Dec 21, police busted a syndicate dealing in imitation firearms, confiscating more than 600 fake weapons.