Hubei police destroy an online 'air rifle supermarket'

Dangyang police of Southern China’s Hubei province destroyed an air rifle supermarket which used an online chat group to sell their products on Oct 18.

Dangyang police had already arrested a suspect surnamed Hu for illegal trade in guns and ammunition and one surnamed Zhou for illegal possession of gun in a spot check on March 2 this year and seized gun parts and an air rifle.

The police then discovered another seven clues about gun sales in checking Hu’s social network accounts including Tencent QQ and Wechat. The information helped them to arrest 48 suspects and seize 50 air rifles and a large number of gun parts and bullets.

Hu was running an air rifle supermarket which sold not only air rifles but also after-sales service such as air recharging and parts replacement. He worked by first buying parts online, then processing them and peddling them in chat groups, according to the police.

Concerning the buyers, the police pointed out that they are military amateurs and firearm lovers who use guns to shoot birds.

Many of these well-made air rifles sell for 20,000 yuan ($2,954) and some of them are also equipped with infrared scopes. The procuratorate has initiated a public prosecution against Hu, while another 40 suspects are under investigation.

The seized air rifles exhibited by police. [ Photo by Dong Xiaobing/ China News Service]

Some of the air rifles are equipped with infrared scopes. [Photo by Dong Xiaobing/ China News Service]