By Sascha Wilson

POSSESSION of fire-crackers for entertainment is illegal and yesterday policemen brought the full arm of the law on a man by slapping an $8,000 fine on him for possession of the explosives.

Police held the man, including four other persons in Cedros who they believe have been involved in the illegal smuggling of fire-crackers and scratch-bombs from the Venezuelan mainland.

It was around 9:15 pm on Thursday when Sumant Balgobin, 34, of Fanny Village, and four other persons were held by a police party. The policemen under supervision by Snr Supt Dennis Graham, have been conducting weeks of surveillance in the Cedros area following information received by the South Western Division Police.

The police officers have been on the lookout for persons selling scratch-bombs and fire-crackers, having regard to incidents this week in which students set off the explosives at several schools in South Trinidad.

The wholesale price per carton of fire-crackers can go for as much as $1,000.

The police were combing the Cedros area when they spotted a maxi taxi and a B-14 Sentra travelling along Main Road, Pt Cocoa.

They stopped the maxi and the car and searched the three occupants in the maxi and the two occupants in the car, one of whom was a woman.

The officers found a total of 26 cartons of firecrackers in both vehicles. Each carton contained 50 boxes and in each box, police said, there were 100 firecrackers. The lawmen also discovered two baskets containing 12 young parrots.

Policemen said that when asked how they came in possession of the fire-crackers and parrots, one of the persons reportedly told the lawmen that they were simply trying to “hustle” money. Balgoobin was handed over to officers of the Customs and Excise Division and charged with harbouring prohibited goods. The other four occupants of the two vehicles were released.

Balgobin, who was charged by the Ag Assistant Comptroller of Customs (South) Winston Burke, was fined $8,000.

The maxi taxi has been impounded by the Customs and according to officers, will be held until the full payment of the fine is made.

The fire crackers have been handed over the police while the parrots were taken to the wild life unit of the Forestry Division of the Ministry of Agriculture.