Many people are stealthily trading in firecracker guns and other hazardous toy items in Ho Chi Minh City despite a ban and stiff associated penalties, a Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper investigation has found.
Via an intermediary, Tuoi Tre correspondents and a young man met Dung, a trader in District 8, to buy firecracker guns from him on December 22.
Dung offered to sell firecracker guns to the young man for VND300,000 (US$14) each and said he would make deliveries to the addresses designated by the buyer.
Dung and the man then agreed to meet in alley 3 on Thanh Thai Street in District 10 so that the trader could show the goods to his potential customer.
After the two met at the rendezvous, Dung took him to the Dong Tien residential area in the same district, which he said was safer for him to show the guns to the young man.
The trader then gave the youth a plastic box containing a black plastic firecracker gun, saying it was made in Thailand, not China.
Dung added he also sold “cartridge belts” at VND20,000 (less than $1) per bag of 10 belts, each of which contains eight “bullets” with firecracker powder inside.
He claimed to have offered VND250,000 apiece to those who bought at least five guns.
Dung revealed he sold stun guns as well for VND2.5 million ($117) each.
Through a website, the Tuoi Tre reporters met The, a trader of toy guns, another day. The demanded from VND400,000 ($19) to VND4.8 million ($225) for such a gun.
A computer screen capture of toy guns offered for sale by Dung on a website. Photo: Tuoi Tre
Unlike Dung, this man requested buyers to look at his guns and prices posted on the website. “I do not directly show my items to buyers. Deliveries will be done after buyers have chosen their guns and agreed to the prices.”
The Tuoi Tre reporters and The agreed to meet later on An Duong Vuong Street in District 5, where the latter offered a toy gun at VND400,000.
“The gun could fire plastic bullets through a paper carton,” The said.
Heavy penalties
Under Government Decree 167/2013, anyone who produces, stockpiles, transports, and/or trades in firecrackers, firecracker powder, and dangerous toys will be fined from VND5-10 million ($234-468).
According to Article 155 of the Penal Code, those who manufacture, stockpile, transport, and/or trade in banned goods in great quantity in order to gain illicit profits or who have been administratively sanctioned for such acts will be fined between VND5 million ($234) and 50 million ($2,340).
They will even face a prison term of six months to five years under certain circumstances.
Article 232 of the Penal Code stipulates that “those who illegally manufacture, stockpile, transport, use, trade in or appropriate explosive materials shall be sentenced to between one and five years of imprisonment.”
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