Need to be determined in preventing and combating illegal fireworks

(Baonghean)As the Lunar New Year 2013 approaches, the situation of illegal firecracker trading and transportation in our province becomes more and more complicated. A series of cases of illegal firecracker transportation in large quantities have been discovered by authorities.

In 2012, departments, branches and localities in the whole province have strongly directed the implementation of Decree 36 of the Government on the management and use of fireworks. However, the situation of violations related to fireworks is still complicated, many localities still allow illegal trading, transportation, storage and use of fireworks. From November 21, 2011 to November 20, 2012, the province discovered 129 cases, 175 subjects trading, transporting and storing fireworks, and recovered 1,125 kg of fireworks of all kinds.

Typically, on June 2, 2012, Quynh Luu District Police coordinated with the Provincial Market Management Department to inspect a car with license plate 98K-4834 driven by Nguyen Van Hiep, born in 1977, residing in Tan Yen District (Bac Giang Province), who was transporting 126 kg of fireworks and various types of firecrackers. On November 27, 2012, Con Cuong District Police caught Le Van Tan (born in 1964, residing in Do Thanh Commune, Yen Thanh) in the act of trading 40 kg of firecrackers... There were cases where they were arrested on the way to Nghe An, such as on the night of August 13, 2012, the functional forces in Hanoi discovered in the luggage compartment of a sleeper bus running on the Thai Nguyen - Ha Tinh route, 72 boxes of firecrackers, each box containing 36 firecrackers, with a total weight of 112 kg. Through investigation, the owner of the above illegal fireworks was identified and temporarily detained as Hoang Hiep (born in 1985, in Thai Hoa Town). Hiep confessed that he bought the above fireworks in Thai Nguyen for 14.4 million VND, and was arrested while transporting them to Nghe An for sale.



Illegal fireworks hidden in the cargo compartment of a passenger bus were discovered by authorities.

With National Highway 1A and National Highway 7 running through the area, a long coastline, and estuaries with hundreds of boats coming and going, Dien Chau has become one of the "hot spots" for trading and transporting illegal fireworks. Every year, Dien Chau Police proactively advise and coordinate with departments, branches, and localities in the whole district to organize propaganda, sign commitments to each family not to transport, trade, or use fireworks, but violations are still increasing. In 2011, functional forces in Dien Chau arrested 5 cases, 11 subjects trading and transporting illegal fireworks, confiscating 122.9 kg of fireworks and 3 cases, 7 subjects participating in setting off fireworks; from January 1, 2012 to November 2012, arrested 8 cases, confiscated 61.2 kg of fireworks and 0.5 kg of fireworks powder and 34 cases, 46 subjects participating in setting off fireworks. Typically, on November 18, 2012, Le Kim Song - a Deputy Village Chief in Dien Lam Commune was caught red-handed by Dien Chau District Police transporting 2 bags of illegal firecrackers with a total weight of 29.5 kg on the way to sell, shocking the people in the village and outside the commune.

Lieutenant Colonel Tran Van Huan - Deputy Chief of Dien Chau District Police said: To promptly detect and prevent illegal firecracker trading and transportation, it is necessary to have the participation of the masses in denouncing crimes, along with the drastic participation of functional agencies when receiving reports from the masses. In 2012, the District Police proactively advised the District People's Committee on directives and plans to prevent illegal acts of transporting, trading and using firecrackers. However, due to some communes not implementing the plan resolutely, the coordination between departments and agencies is not tight; some subjects are workers, students and pupils from other places who bring firecrackers back to their hometowns to use during Tet, which are hidden and camouflaged quite well, making it very difficult to detect and prevent. To promptly rectify this situation, on December 7, 2012, Dien Chau will organize a conference to deploy a plan to prevent violations of trading, transporting and using firecrackers. Under the chairmanship of the District People's Committee Chairman, heads of agencies, departments, branches, communes and schools will sign a commitment to fight against illegal fireworks.

In Yen Thanh, Mr. Vu Dinh Can - Chief of Tang Thanh Commune Police said: "Every year, we organize propaganda and mobilize people to sign a commitment not to use fireworks. However, due to the lack of awareness of the people, on New Year's Eve in the commune, there are still some families who still set off fireworks. The difficulty is that due to fear, respect and also due to the custom of avoiding bad luck at the beginning of the new year, it is difficult to draw up a record to fine these families. If it happens at another time, we will take drastic measures, like in 2012, a family set off fireworks during a wedding, we reminded them and immediately drew up a record to fine them."

According to Major Ngo Sy Chien - Captain of the Special Task Force of the Administrative Management Department of Social Order of Nghe An Police (PC64), although departments, branches and functional forces have made many efforts, the methods of trading and transporting firecrackers of the subjects are increasingly sophisticated and cunning. In addition, the propaganda of legal documents has not met the requirements, the propaganda time on propaganda media is still limited... so the work of prevention, detection and combat still faces many difficulties. In 2012, the Provincial Police directed the distribution of tens of thousands of leaflets, open letters, and denunciation letters to propagate and mobilize people to voluntarily hand over weapons, materials, and firecrackers to each family in the blocks, hamlets and agencies. During the peak period from August 2012 to present, the masses have voluntarily handed over 42.2 kg of firecrackers of all kinds.

In order to promptly detect, prevent and strictly handle violations of firecrackers, in addition to the drastic participation of functional forces, it is necessary to have the participation of authorities at all levels, especially commune and ward levels and local organizations and masses to step up propaganda work, mobilize people, and organize the signing of commitments to strictly implement regulations on banning the production, trading, transportation, storage and use of illegal firecrackers. Because "where there is demand, there is supply", if people continue to burn firecrackers during Tet without being punished, the situation of illegal firecrackers trading will inevitably increase.

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