Airport police destroy firecrackers

Thu, 09/18/2008 10:32 AM  |  City

TANGERANG: The police destroyed 1.5 tons of firecrackers confiscated from three separate outgoing cargo shipments at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Wednesday.

"Not only did we confiscate the firecrackers as evidence we also arrested one of the three consigners as a suspect in the case," airport police chief Sr. Comr. Guntur Setyanto said.

He said the senders, identified as AS, DN and PW, purchased the firecrackers in several locations in greater Jakarta and were preparing to send them to Batam.

Wrapped in dozens of boxes, the senders reported the low-grade explosives as electronics goods to expediters identified only as Awu, XL and ABSR.

To avoid any risk of explosion, officers put the firecrackers in a hole and then sprayed them with water until all were soaked through.

"Our officers have been seizing firecrackers since the beginning of Ramadan. The Tangerang District Court has given us legal permission to destroy them all," Guntur said. --JP

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