The Surrender campaign, being rolled out across each of the city’s 32 boroughs, is aimed at getting young people to hand over imitation guns without fear of reprisal.
The message is: “We want your gun, not your name,” said a Met spokesperson.
Around half of all the capital’s gun-enabled crime involves imitation weapons that have either been converted to fire live ammunition or that look so realistic they can be used to threaten people.
Met Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair said, “Imitation weapons cause fear and distress on our streets and I would urge members of our communities to take this chance to get rid of them.
“Every gun handed in is one less that can be used for violence and intimidation.”
He added that while overall crime has decreased in London, the campaign aims to stop a gun culture that continues to blight the lives of young people.
A press and radio advertising campaign aimed primarily at 10-25 year old males has been launched to back up the amnesty. In full colour adverts appearing in youth magazines and ‘ethnic minority media’, an invisible man is depicted walking into a police station to hand over his gun.
“It is a criminal offence to sell, import and manufacture realistic imitation guns, said Commander Shaun Sawyer, the head of the Met’s violent crime directorate.
“If you know anyone who is selling or supplying imitation weapons we want to hear from you.”
Police said they will be accepting other potentially lethal weapons during the amnesty, which runs until the 17th of February.