The procuratorate of Nanshan district, Shenzhen, Guangdong province, has approved the arrest of five college students alleged to have been involved in two cases of arms and ammunition smuggling.

The five, who study at two colleges in Guangdong, allegedly got to know a gun vendor surnamed Li through the Internet, bought air pistols and pellets in Hong Kong and transported the dismantled guns to Shenzhen and gave them to Li, China News Service reported.

Li sold the arms through the Internet, with the two cases involving 41 guns and more than 3,000 pellets. Li and another gun vendor involved were also arrested.

The students received 550 yuan ($90) for smuggling each air pistol. Some of the students persuaded other students to join the smuggling and some became gun vendors themselves later.

Imitation guns with a large enough capacity are considered guns in China and the trading of such items, when in excess of certain amount, is a crime.

The awareness of such crimes should be promoted to the public, the procuratorate said.