Chinese police have destroyed 194 illegal gun factories and shops in a crackdown on weapons and explosives between June and September.

 

In a news release to Xinhua News Agency yesterday, the Ministry of Public Security disclosed details on the three-month crackdown on explosives, guns, ammunition and forbidden knives.

 

Police seized 3,900 tons of explosives, 7.77 million detonators, 4.83 million meters of fuse, 178,000 guns, 638,000 mock guns, 4.74 million bullets and 2.06 million knives.

 

Police also shut down 482 factories and shops that illegally produced or sold explosives, cracked 12,000 cases involving guns and explosives and dealt with 66,000 people suspected of possessing explosives, guns or knives.

 

During the three months, explosion and gun violence cases dropped by 22.1 percent and 16.2 percent respectively, compared with the same period of last year.

 

Police said they would set up a national information system on the management of explosives by the end of this year.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 16, 2006)