Police have found a semi-automatic rifle and ammunition in the hideout of a mobster who participated in the riot in the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Gansu Province.

The ammunition included 53 rifle bullets, two pistol bullets, 129 shotgun bullets in 10 boxes, six blank cartridges. Police also seized 400 meters of fuses and 32 knives in the hideout in Amuquhu Town, Xiahe County.

Chinese law forbids civilians from keeping guns, ammunition, explosives and certain kinds of knives. Violations may incur sentences ranging from a minimum of three years to ten years in ordinary cases but life imprisonment or the death penalty in serious cases.

A total of 19 rioters have surrendered to police in Gannan by Sunday, after the Gannan authorities issued notices urging lawbreakers to stop criminal activities and offering leniency to those who surrender.

Since March 14, beating, smashing, looting and arson have occurred in the counties of Xiahe, Maqu, Luqu and Jone and Hezuo City in the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and the Aba County of Sichuan Province.

A total of 94 people have been injured in Gannan, with an economic loss of 230 million yuan (32.6 million US dollars).

The injured people included 64 police, 27 armed police, two government officials and one civilian. Among the injured, six police and four armed police were in a dangerous condition.

Social order in Gannan has returned to normal. There has been no new unrest since March 20.

In Lhasa, more than 200 people who were involved in the riot have surrendered to police.

At least 18 civilians and one police officer have been confirmed killed in the Lhasa unrest, which also saw 382 injuries. Damage is estimated at more than 244 million yuan.

The casualties and damage caused by riot in Aba County, Sichuan are not available yet.

(Xinhua News Agency March 24, 2008)