Soldiers from the Bù Đốp Border Guard Station instruct local people not to smuggle firecrackers. — VNA/VNS Photo K'Gửi H

BÌNH PHƯỚC — Smuggling, particularly illicit trade in firecrackers, typically increases in Bình Phước Province towards the end of the year.

The local authorities have implemented numerous professional measures to tackle the problem, yet it remains complex and unpredictable in border regions.

The Bù Đốp Border Guard Station in Bù Đốp District is assigned to manage the 17km border section.

Major Đỗ Ngọc Tuấn, Deputy Chief of the station, said local people’s income depended on agriculture and small-scale livestock farming.

Prices of agricultural materials are high, while prices for agricultural products remain low, compounded by erratic weather, leading to reduced productivity. Numerous people are either unemployed or in unstable jobs. Consequently, a portion of the population frequently engages in the illegal purchase and sale of firecrackers and cigarettes with strangers.

“As the Tết (Lunar New Year) approaches, the situation is much more complicated. The station has promoted education to raise awareness, not to trade prohibited goods across the border," said Tuấn.

Nguyễn Hữu Quân, who lives in Bù Tâm Village in Hưng Phước Commune, said that the border guards went to residential areas to instruct people not to smuggle firecrackers.

Continuous education in recent months has helped people obey regulations well.

Thị É, another resident, said: “After being guided by the border guards, we are aware and strictly comply with it. Smuggling fireworks violates the law. We are ready to denounce illegal goods trading when we discover it."

Border guards coordinate with local authorities to regularly patrol all day to prevent illegal activities in border areas.

Deputy Head of the Drug and Crime Prevention Department under the provincial Border Guard Nguyễn Tuấn Anh said that Bình Phước Province had a nearly 259km long border and two main border gates.

It also has many roads through the border gates.

Rivers run out of water in the dry season, so it is difficult to prevent fireworks smuggling across the border.

"Some people in Bình Dương and Đồng Nai provinces, and HCM City use mobile phones and social networks to contact people in border areas to order firecrackers in large quantities to transport to inland provinces for profit," said Anh.

“They even take advantage of children to transport the firecrackers. This is their new trick, causing obstacles for the authorities in investigations,” he said.

To fight fireworks-related crimes, the Bình Phước Border Guards will continue to coordinate with local authorities to direct people to know about prohibited behaviour.

The border guards, together with police, customs and market watch forces, will also strengthen patrols across the border to detect violations and take appropriate measures. — VNS