Preventing the trading, transportation and storage of fireworks

(Baonghean) - Over the past several days, authorities in the province have discovered and arrested many cases of illegal trading and transportation of firecrackers. This has raised many concerns in management as well as ensuring social order and safety.

At around 5:00 a.m. on November 23, a working group of the Hoa Hieu Ward Police (Thai Hoa Town) discovered and caught red-handed at Thai Linh Motel, No. 65, Nguyen Trai Street, Kim Tan Block, Thai Hoa Town, illegally storing 4 boxes of Chinese firecrackers, weighing 100 kg. At the police station, Dang Hai Vi (born in 1963), the owner of the motel, confessed: A few days earlier, he bought these firecrackers to sell for profit during the upcoming Lunar New Year. Not long ago, a team of Economic Police (Provincial Police) discovered and caught red-handed Phan Van Trong, residing in Quynh Thien Ward, (Hoang Mai Town) while he was transporting nearly 22 kg of firecrackers on his motorbike to the place of consumption. At the same time, Vinh City Police also arrested a case of 2 subjects, seizing 22 kg of firecrackers.

Hoa Hieu Ward Police (Thai Hoa Town) handled illegal fireworks stored at Thai Linh motel on November 23, 2014. (Photo provided by Thai Hoa Town Police).

The above situation shows that the phenomenon of violations of trading, transporting and storing firecrackers before the Lunar New Year is repeated and seems to be more complicated each year than the previous year. Through the detected cases, it can be seen that firecrackers mostly originate from China, a "commodity" with many traders using many sophisticated tricks. Colonel Tran Son, Deputy Chief of Police of Hoang Mai Town, said that not long ago, Nguyen Phi (40 years old), residing in Son Hai (Quynh Luu), when discovered carrying over 30 kg of explosives, loudly said "explode the whole box" to threaten the inspection team.

Reality over the past years has shown that, to prevent the use of firecrackers during the Lunar New Year, it is necessary to first prevent all types of explosives and firecrackers from being smuggled into the area. At the same time, it is necessary to strictly handle violators, in order to make the fight against the transportation, trading, storage and use of illegal explosives and firecrackers highly effective. Nghe An Provincial People's Committee issued Plan No. 431, dated August 22, 2014 and Official Dispatch No. 24, dated August 29, 2014 on launching a recall of weapons, explosives and supporting tools in the area. In order to strictly implement the direction of the Provincial People's Committee, in recent times, functional agencies, with the core being the police force, have closely coordinated in propaganda work and increased action. Key traffic routes such as National Highways 1A, 7A, 46, 48 and waterways and railways have been patrolled and controlled. Key areas such as Vinh City, Quynh Luu, Dien Chau, Hoang Mai Town, Thai Hoa Town, Cua Lo Town... have received special attention from the authorities. Thanks to that, initially, the Provincial People's Committee's Official Dispatch 24 was implemented with high efficiency. On October 30, 2014, Quynh Luu District Police caught Nguyen Hoang Phi, residing in Quynh Ngoc Commune, red-handed while transporting over 6kg of illegal firecrackers. Dien Chau District Police caught Nguyen Hai Trieu, residing in Dien Lien Commune, red-handed while using a motorbike to transport 18.5kg of Chinese firecrackers to the place of consumption. Thai Hoa Town Police caught a case of transporting 50kg of flares. Thus, from the beginning of 2012 until now, the number of firecrackers seized by the authorities in the area has reached 5,375kg.

Discussing the work of combating and preventing the trade, transportation and storage of firecrackers, Colonel Le Khac Thuyet, Chief of the Provincial Police Office, said that every year, the Provincial Police develop a plan to proactively combat "ringleaders" and subjects related to the illegal trading, storage, transportation and use of firecrackers. At the same time, they advise the Provincial People's Committee to issue documents and directives on the work of preventing and fighting fires and explosions. In 2014 alone, the Provincial Police leadership had many solutions, coordinated synchronously with sectors, functional forces and people to step up the fight against crime in general and the crime of illegal trade and transportation of firecrackers in particular.

According to Colonel Nguyen Huu Cau, Deputy Director of the Provincial Police, to thoroughly prevent violations of Directive 406 and Decree 36 of the Government, the first thing to do is to step up propaganda work on mass media. Thereby, making people aware that trading and burning fireworks is a violation of the law. Banning fireworks is also one of the measures to prevent crime, limit bad guys from taking advantage to commit crimes, affecting social order.

Viet Long