BEIJING, Dec. 16  -- Two men have been sentenced to prison and fined for buying and selling illegal publications, concerning military affairs, defense and history topics, authorities said Tuesday.

Cong Jianlei was sentenced to five years and two months in prison and fined 10,000 yuan (1,634.50 U.S. dollars), said a joint statement by the National Pornography and Illegal Publications Office and the Public Security Ministry.

Cong Guang was sentenced to two years and 10 months with three years reprieve and fined 5,000 yuan.

According to local police, the two had bought and distributed more than 30 illegal newspaper and magazine titles totalling 29,000 issues.

They were detained in 2013 in east China's Shandong Province with more than 5,500 illegal publications confiscated on site.

The statement also said that Jiang Bin, who had falsified permits to publish and sell the publications, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison and fined 450,000 yuan.