Chaguanas businessman fined for illegal firecrackers

A PROMINENT Chaguanas businessman yesterday pleaded guilty to two of three illegal fireworks-related offences and was subsequently fined a total of $850 by a Chaguanas magistrate.

Shazim Khan, 42, proprietor of Khan’s Variety Store, is the third businessman and fourth person to appear before a magistrate this week charged with illegal possession of the firecrackers. Khan was arrested around 2.45 pm on Thursday by Cpl Benjamin, PCs De Verteuil and Ali, attached to Police Central Division, after officers seized over 200 assorted fireworks from his business place.

The businessman yesterday pleaded guilty before Chaguanas Third Court Magistrate Margaret Alert to not having the proper container to store fireworks while having it on sale and not having the Licence Board in front of his premises to show that he was an accredited retailer of explosives. Khan was fined $500 or 21 days simple imprisonment on the first charge and $350 or 14 days imprisonment on the second charge. Khan, who had no legal representation, pleaded not guilty to not having a licence to sell explosives and was granted bail in the sum of $5,000.
Magistrate Alert adjourned the matter to Monday.