WATCH: 9 year old caught with 400 firecrackers in backpack at train station security check
Parents claim to be just as surprised by the boy’s shenanigans as the transit police
A 9-year-old boy concealed more than 400 firecrackers in his backpack and attempted to sneak them through security at a train station in Guangxi earlier this week, local media reported. His parents claimed not to have been aware of their son’s transgression until transit authorities searched his bag and confiscated the illegal explosives.
The family was reportedly visiting relatives for the Chinese New Year and had given the boy firecrackers over the holiday. For their part, transit police let him off the hook after lecturing him on the potential consequences of taking explosives on public transport and urging his parents to supervise him more carefully.
Said to ward off nefarious spirits and signify hope and prosperity in the New Year, fireworks have long been a staple of traditional Chinese Spring Festival celebration. This year’s festivities, however, witnessed a sharp decline in holiday firecracker sales after many municipal and provincial governments banned them, citing concerns about pollution and safety.