TAIYUAN, Dec. 24 -- Chinese police have detained a former soldier who allegedly possessed and manufactured guns, local authorities said Thursday.

The suspect was carrying a loaded, homemade gun that shoots small steel balls when he was caught on Monday by the police in Yangquan City in north China's Shanxi Province.

The 27-year-old unemployed man, surnamed Xu, served in the army between 2006 and 2008. He allegedly bought gun components at local hardware store and online shops and has been assembling them at home since June 2014.

A number of gun-manufacturing components, including a welding machine, electric drill, pneumatic clamp, as well as a hunting rifle, 9 homemade rifles, 2 suspected grenades, 1 suspected mortar shell, mining explosives, 248 nails for a nail gun, 500 steel balls and six cleavers and knives were found at Xu's house, according to the police.

The manufacture and sale of guns is banned in China, and the public are not allowed to own guns. A person can face up to seven years in prison if found guilty of owning a gun.