WUHAN -- Police in central China's Hubei Province have busted two criminal rings that sold guns online, local authorities announced on Saturday.

Police in Macheng City caught 13 suspects whose network spanned across 27 provinces and regions. They seized 127 guns, 20,000 bullets, 10,000 bullet shells, two kilograms of explosives and a large number of gun-manufacturing components.

Police in Qichun County caught five suspects and destroyed a gun-manufacturing den. They seized seven high pressure air rifles, 1,057 buckshots and more than 4,000 gun-manufacturing components.

China bans the manufacturing and sale of guns in order to control violent crime. Private citizens are not allowed to own guns. According to Chinese law, a person could face up to seven years of imprisonment if convicted of illegally owning a gun.