Weapons,bullets and gun components seized by police. (Photo/Hebei Youth Daily)
(ECNS) -- The production and sales of firearms is on the rise online in China, the Beijing-based Mirror reports.
Police in Hebei province's Hengshui city have arrested 17 people suspected of involvement in online arms sales, seizing eight weapons, 10 arms manufacturing devices, some 135,500 bullets, and over 9,000 gun components.
Cheng Weiqing, the city's public security bureau chief, said the suspects have integrated wholesale and retail manufacturing, giving rise to a large online industry that sells guns, parts and ammunition.
In May, police detected a man known as Zhang who ordered more than 3,000 gun-related items from various metalwork shops in Jingxian county. The items were then delivered to other parts of the country by courier. Zhang rented a yard and some surrounding homes in the county as a warehouse for the goods.
Police found that Zhang had used Tencent's QQ, a popular online messaging service, to become acquainted with many gun component dealers since May of 2014. He published advertisements on the Internet and sold parts mainly to wholesalers who sold the components and ammunition online in more than 20 provinces, cities and regions.
In only two months, Zhang allegedly carried out 145 transactions totaling more than 800,000 yuan ($125,699) via his bank card and online payment provider Alipay.
Manufacturing and sales of guns is strictly regulated in China. Private citizens are not allowed to own guns and can be sentenced to up to seven years in prison if convicted of illegally possessing one.
