SONGKHLA: About 300 cases of fireworks destined for Malaysia were seized in Sadao district of this southern province in the small hours on Sunday.
The seizure was made by a combined unit of soldiers from Infantry Company 5021, Padang Besar police and administrative officials in Sadao district.
At about 1.30am, the team searched an articulated lorry with Malaysian licence plate number BGY 3658. The vehicle was parked near house No 6 on Padang Besar road in tambon Padang Besar, Sadao district.
The lorry's trailer was covered with fertiliser sacks with ground coconut husks on top.
In the search, the authorities found about 300 cases containing a large quantity of fireworks.
Nobody showed up to claim ownership of the fireworks.
Uthen Sae Chen, the house owner's son, told police his family had leased out the space behind the house to shipping companies to park vehicles used to transpot cargo in and out of the country via the Sadao border checkpoint.
Police were to contact the company that owned the lorry to determine whether it had a proper permit to transport the fireworks. If not, those concerned would initially be charged with violating the law on firearms, ammunition, explosives and fireworks.
Police believed the fireworks were destined for Malaysia ahead of the Chinese New Year, which falls on Jan 22.