Authorities dismantled an inter-provincial network producing and distributing nearly 1 ton of firecrackers.
The Police Investigation Agency has just issued a decision to initiate criminal proceedings in the case of manufacturing and trading prohibited goods occurring in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Phu Tho, Dong Nai, and several other provinces and cities.
This was a large-scale, inter-provincial firework production and distribution ring discovered and dismantled by Team 5 of the Economic Police Department (Hanoi City Police) in coordination with other relevant agencies.
Previously, through intelligence gathering, Team 5 of the Economic Police Department (Hanoi City Police) discovered that Do Thanh Tan (born in 2005, residing in Dong Nai province) and Nguyen Quy (born in 1995, residing in Dak Lak province) were the main suppliers of explosive fireworks from Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai province to many individuals nationwide.
According to initial investigations, since 2022, Mai Van Chanh (identity unknown) and Nguyen Quy have been trading explosive fireworks online. They primarily imported the fireworks from abroad through unofficial channels. When customers placed orders, they assigned Do Thanh Tan to prepare shipping documents for delivery via express courier services. To evade detection by the police, they mainly conducted their business online, using cash-on-delivery services. Subsequently, Tran Anh Tuan (born 1992, residing in Van Xuan commune, Phu Tho province), Nguyen Van Dai Hiep (born 1996, residing in Huong Son commune, Hanoi), and Hoang Tu Anh (residing in Viet Hung ward, Hanoi) purchased large quantities of explosive fireworks from Quy and Chanh to resell and profit from the price difference.
To evade authorities during transportation, the suspects disguised the firecrackers by hiding them among old clothes in woven sacks. They then marked the sacks with unique symbols to identify the goods and prevent surprise inspections. After the firecrackers were transported to Hanoi, Hoang Tu Anh asked Nguyen Long Van (born in 1988, residing in Phu Tho province) to receive the goods, but the police unexpectedly raided the location and arrested them.
The Hanoi City Police Investigation Agency conducted an urgent search of the residences of Nguyen Long Van and Hoang Tu Anh, discovering a large quantity of materials for manufacturing explosive fireworks. The search resulted in the seizure of over 750 kg of explosive fireworks, including 706.9 kg of spherical and box-shaped fireworks of 36, 49, 88, and 100 tubes, at locations linked to the nationwide fireworks trafficking ring (including Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai Province, Phu Tho Province, and Hanoi). Notably, the police also seized 44.1 kg of raw materials for producing explosive fireworks, including gunpowder, charcoal powder, propellant, and fuses, at the suspects' residences and warehouses.
According to authorities, all types of firecrackers, including explosive fireworks, homemade fireworks, and smuggled fireworks, are prohibited. These types of fireworks contain highly flammable and explosive substances such as potassium chlorate, sulfur, gunpowder, and fuses, posing an extreme danger. Improper storage or use can lead to serious consequences due to fire and explosions.
The case is being further investigated and clarified by the police.
