Beijing police have closed down an Internet website that sold guns and have arrested 44 suspects and confiscated 117 guns, said the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau on Wednesday.

More than 20,000 bullets, 16 knives and five computers used for the trade were also confiscated, said a statement released by the bureau.

This is the first gun-trading case via Internet that Chinese police have cracked this year, said Xu Jingfeng, a police officer of the bureau.

The buyers and sellers contacted each other through the Internet, said Xu.

Buyers paid through Internet banks and the sellers provided guns or bullets via mailing, according to Xu.

An appraisal on the guns confiscated showed that the majority of them were imported guns worth between 1,000 yuan and 4,000 yuan (US$125 to 500), Xu said.

According to China's criminal law, the maximum penalty for illegally trading guns is death.

(Xinhua News Agency September 7, 2006)