Many incidents of disorder and insecurity
According to the Gia Lai Provincial Border Guard, the unit has just coordinated with Duc Co District Police to arrest two cases of illegal transportation of more than 200kg of fireworks. On December 16, in Ia Chia village, Ia Nan commune, Duc Co district, two subjects Hoang Huu Thien (residing in Chu Bah commune, Ayun Pa town) and Kieu Duc Lam (residing in Phu Thien town, Phu Thien district) were discovered carrying 110 boxes of fireworks, with a total weight of 186.6kg, in the trunk of a car. This is just one of many cases of illegal transportation of fireworks in the area recently.
Not only stopping at transportation, the situation of teenagers, especially students, making their own firecrackers is also at an alarming level.
According to statistics from Dak Lak Provincial Police, from December 15 to now, the authorities have discovered 12 cases with 57 cases of students participating in making firecrackers. In total, the authorities seized 27.3 kg of chemicals to make firecrackers, 0.41 kg of explosives mixed with chemicals and 294 homemade firecrackers. Many cases have led to serious accidents.
In Quang Dien commune, Krong Ana district, police discovered a group of 25 students (grades 7 to 9) buying precursors to make firecrackers online. Upon inspection, the authorities seized 42 finished firecrackers, 150 paper tubes, nearly 5kg of precursors and mixed explosives, and many manufacturing tools. Also in December, in Krong Nang district, three students were injured while making firecrackers from matches following instructions on social media. As a result, all three students had to be hospitalized for treatment.
Mr. Nguyen Dang Giap - Director of the Central Highlands General Hospital - said: "At the end of the year, the hospital often receives many cases of injuries due to making firecrackers, mostly teenagers. Many severe burns leave long-term sequelae in terms of aesthetics and muscle and bone function."
Preventing illegal cross-border fireworks
Mr. Vu Manh Dinh - Chairman of Duc Co District People's Committee (Gia Lai Province) - said: "At the end of the year, the situation of illegal fireworks and goods transportation through border gates, trails, and openings near the border is complicated. Subjects take advantage to smuggle goods deep into the interior, goods are hidden by sophisticated tricks".
According to Mr. Dinh, the local police and border guards are regularly on duty and coordinate to patrol the border. Thereby, they close trails and openings to promptly detect smugglers and transporters of fireworks. The district also coordinates with the Le Thanh International Border Gate Customs to control drivers and vehicles transporting agricultural products and goods across the border. This move avoids letting criminals escape and prevents illegal fireworks from circulating in the province.
Lieutenant Colonel Ly Van Ket - Head of Ea Sup District Police (Dak Lak Province) - commented that at the end of the year, the crime situation near the border area, adjacent to the Kingdom of Cambodia, has become more complicated. Many smugglers take advantage of trails and openings to find ways to illegally transport goods inland (including firecrackers), especially at night.
"We have established a coordination regulation with the armed forces. In which, the Border Guard plays a core role. In the coming time, the units will closely coordinate to patrol 24/7 on key routes and sensitive points in the area. Thereby, strictly handle subjects showing signs of smuggling goods into the country" - Lieutenant Colonel Ly Van Ket said.
Major General Le Vinh Quy - Director of Dak Lak Provincial Police emphasized: "In reality, there are still cases of students participating in the production and manufacture of firecrackers being discovered and arrested. To prevent this situation, it is necessary to have the cooperation of all levels, sectors, schools, families and the whole society."
