TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A 27-year-old man surnamed Zhu (朱) was arrested on June 15 for operating an illegal gun modification factory in New Taipei City, the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said on Wednesday (June 22).

Zhu had been using a shipping container, formerly owned by his mother, to modify replica firearms into functioning handguns, CNA reported. The police seized five guns, 110 bullets and various modification tools from the container.

The CIB said it set up a special task force with the Luzhou branch of the New Taipei City Police Department to track down domestic sellers of replica guns. They found that Zhu had bought a large number of replica firearms earlier this year for illicit modification.

Zhu became a suspect after he injured his thumb while testing a gun in August last year. The hospital where he treated his wound reported it to the police, who later found a bullet at his residence.

Zhu told the police he was interested in firearms modification and learned about it online from Philippines websites. He was transferred to the New Taipei District Prosecutor's Office for further investigation and faces charges under the Controlling Guns, Ammunition and Knives Act.