58 arrested, 40 weapons seized as Chinese police crack international arms network
Raids by 16 forces, staged after trial of ringleader earlier this year, also yields hand grenades, air rifles and 20,000 bullets
Chinese police have arrested a further 58 suspects linked to an international arms network following a year-long investigation and the trial earlier this year of its ringleader, mainland media reported.
The arrests came after police staged raids in 16 cities across the mainland, which also resulted in the seizure of 40 military-grade weapons, 20,000 lead bullets, 14 air rifles, hand grenades, gun manufacturing equipment and related paraphernalia, news website Thepaper.cn reported on Thursday.
The investigation was jointly led by police in the southern China cities of Liuzhou and Shenzhen, although the raids involved officers from 16 cities across the country, the report said, citing a statement released on Tuesday by Liuzhou police.
It did not specify when the raids were carried out, but said that several foreign nationals were among those arrested.
The gang is understood to have bought gun parts from overseas suppliers and trafficked them around China using courier services. Shenzhen, in Guangdong province, was identified as the main point of entry, while Liuzhou, in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, was the principal distribution hub.