900kg firecrackers seized in 3 raids, 4 nabbed

New Delhi: In separate raids, Delhi Police seized over 900kg firecrackers from different areas in the city on Monday.
In the first raid, the crime branch seized 505kg illegal firecrackers from a shop in Central Market in south Delhi's Madangir. Acting on a tip-off, a team conducted the raid at the shop and found a hidden stash of firecrackers of various brands. The shop owner, Sanjay Kumar, was detained and admitted to illegally selling firecrackers from the shop.A case has been registered against him under Explosives Act.
In another raid in a godown in Rohini's Sector 11, police recovered more than 300kg firecrackers. The raid followed a tip-off about a man selling illegal firecrackers. Upon reaching the location, a police team found a man trying to hide firecrackers in a nearby house. Umesh Kumar was apprehended and questioned. A subsequent search of the premises revealed a hidden stash of various brands of firecrackers, weighing 304.8kg.
According to police, Umesh took the property on rent and was using it as a storage facility for illegal firecrackers. He confessed to sourcing the explosives from Haryana and supplying them to customers in Delhi. Police registered a case under Explosives Act.
In the third raid, two men were arrested with more than 100kg of firecrackers. They were identified as Mohammad Aakib (24) and Talib Yusuf (46). During a picket check, police stopped Aakib in Sultanpuri. Upon checking a white plastic bag he was carrying, 10.3kg firecrackers were found concealed under food items. Aakib, who was riding a motorcycle, told police that he had got the crackers from a warehouse owned by Yusuf. A police team then raided the warehouse in Aman Vihar, seized 93.9kg firecrackers and arrested Talib. Both suspects confessed to attempting to sell the firecrackers during the festive season for quick buck.