SHENYANG, Aug. 12-- Three suspects were detained as police in northeast China seized 108 replica guns and 8,764 steel ball bullets from an underground storehouse, said police Tuesday.

A 36-year-old woman surnamed Zhang, owner of a military commodity club, her husband surnamed Lin and a buyer surnamed Bai have been detained, said Ma Haiyang, of Yuhong public security bureau in Shenyang City, capital of Liaoning Province.

Police said they had been aware of the illegal sale of replica weapons and steel ball bullets in Yuhong since June. An investigation showed these guns came from the military commodity club. Tests showed these weapons were antipersonnel and posed threats to citizens.

Zhang, a fan of military commodities, was sentenced to four years in prison in 2008 for illegally holding guns, but she did not reveal to police the left-over ammunition at the time. She resumed her illegal business after she completed her prison term.

China bans the manufacture and sale of guns to control violent crime. Private citizens are not allowed to own guns. According to Chinese law, a person can be sentenced to prison for up to seven years if convicted of illegally owning a gun.