More than 150 guns seized in 'year of action' as shocking statistics revealed

The new figures come as part of West Midlands Police showcasing the extent of actions undertaken by their Major Crimes Unit.

The figures show that 152 firearms were recovered across the West Midlands, an increase from the 121 in the previous 12-month period.

The new statistics also revealed a major reduction in the number of firearms discharges, with 92 being recorded last year, compared to 126 in the previous year and 161 in the year before that.

Detective Superintendent Scott Griffiths, who oversees the team, said: "We’ve had a really successful year of targeting serious and organised crime in the West Midlands.

"We’ve uncovered criminal gangs through our proactive work to seek out those who use violence and intimidation, and when we’ve had major incidents that have resulted in people being seriously injured in the streets of the West Midlands.

"We’ve acted swiftly and decisively to investigate and put those responsible behind bars for years to come."

The figures also revealed that one of the six Reactive Teams operated by the West Midlands Police has charged more than 50 people in the last year, including 21 for attempted murder.

Mr Griffiths added: "The new way of working which came into place at the start of last year means we’ve got dedicated resources to quickly review CCTV, mobile phone and forensic evidence.

"But we’re also working really closely with local policing areas to understand the community impact and gather information and intelligence."

The force also said that the Major Crime Proactive Team carried out 71 manhunts in the last year, with all suspects being found, 44 of them being wanted for murder.

As well as murderers, the team saw the arrest of 73 predatory sexual offenders, all caught as the result of undercover work by the officers.