AN imported gun capable of being turned into a lethal weapon was seized by police as part of a blitz on gun crime in the West Midlands.

Firearms officers raided two homes in Elizabeth Grove and Bourne Street in Dudley yesterday (November 20).

The weapon, which has been broken down, is believed to have been illegally imported from the Czech Republic.

While it was originally designed to fire blanks, it is capable of easily being converted to firing live rounds.

Three men in their 20s were arrested - one on suspicion of importation of a firearm, and two on suspicion of witness intimidation.

They are all also under arrest on suspicion of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

The raids came after a vehicle was rammed by a car on Watsons Green Road, Dudley, in August this year.

One of the people in the car then pointed a gun at the victims before driving off. No one was injured.

More than 114 firearms have been recovered by West Midlands Police so far this year.

Police say they rely on information from the public to help them get weapons off the streets and arrest those who keep or use them.

Anyone with information that could help in the fight against gun crime is urged to contact police via Live Chat online at west-midlands.police.uk, or call Crimestoppers (anonymously) on 0800 555 111.