Acting on a tip, city police seized illegal fireworks valued at 100,000 yuan (US$12,048), including 21 boxes of skyrockets, banned because of their highly volatile and dangerous nature.

A total of 92 boxes of contraband fireworks were seized, police said.

The police raid on a house on Hankou Road in Huangpu District at 11 p.m. on Saturday came several hours after city authorities destroyed illegal fireworks in Fengxian County.

It took firefighters five hours to remove the contraband fireworks that were hidden in the house, police said.

Shi En of the fire inspection office under the Huangpu Public Security Bureau said the fireworks were driven to the house at 8 p.m. The driver was arrested, police said.

Earlier Saturday, city officials burned illegal fireworks valued at 500,000 yuan that had been carried on 20 trucks. The bonfire was at an artillery base in Fengxian County.

"The destruction of illegal fireworks - especially skyrockets - shows our strong will to fight illegal fireworks," said Jiang Aishan, city Fire Department spokesman.

Shanghai, as well as other places in China, has banned the use of skyrockets.

A small skyrocket exploded and caused the death of a 13-year-old boy last year in Shanghai.

With Spring Festival 16 days away, fire officials are concerned about individuals ignoring prohibitions and using fireworks.

In the past 10 days, the police bureau has confiscated 1,692 boxes of fireworks, collected a total of 13,000 yuan in fines from people who sold illegal fireworks and developed the case that got one person arrested.

(Eastday.com 01/08/2001)