Beijing police have confiscated 259 guns in a crackdown on illegal possession of firearms and explosives that started on May 17.

Senior officials with the Beijing police bureau said they have also seized 409 BB guns, airguns and similar items, 27,139 bullets, 8.3 tons of dynamite, 151 outdated shells and 406 obsolete grenades.

Police have detained 615 people in connection with possession of weapons.

One hundred and sixteen people benefited from an amnesty by voluntarily turning in guns and explosives.

The crackdown in Beijing will end in September.

Chinese laws prohibit the illegal possession, production and trade of firearms and explosives. Police have confiscated 12,350 tons of explosives and 502,000 guns in the past five years, which they say has led to a drop in the number of explosion and gun violence cases.

Air-powered weapons that are powerful enough to hurt people are also banned.

(Xinhua News Agency July 12, 2007)