DUSHANBE, December 27, 2011 Asia-Plus  -- To-date, Tajik police have detected dozens of instances of illegal firework trade to this day.

According to the Interior Ministry, raids have been made in pursuance of government’s decree of 1999 banning sales and storage of fireworks.

“Resident of Shahritous district was detained yesterday for illegal firework trade and 284 fireworks were found in his house,” said the source.  “Seven instances of illegal firework trade have been detected at Dushanbe’s bazaars and some 5,000 fireworks have been confiscated as a result of raids on the bazaars.”

Resident of the Rasht district, Dilshod Abdulloyev, was detained by traffic police officers in Dushanbe on December 26.  28,800 fireworks were found in his Mercedes.

We will recall that Tajik customs officers uncovered the largest stash they have ever found of illegal Chinese fireworks in Dushanbe in December 2010.  The discovery was made inside a terminal that is part of the regional customs control office in the Tajik capital.

Tajik customs officials estimate the find to weigh 30 tons.  The contraband fireworks were found in three trucks, and one Chinese national was detained.  The 30-ton stash was estimated to contain over 50 types of gunpowder-based Chinese fireworks.