CHAPTER 494: CHAPTER 344 "MINOR CASE" (PART 2)

The investigation of the false certificates was a joint effort by the Port Supervision Bureau and the Changhang Bureau. Due to its highly specialized nature, just like joint law enforcement with the police and Commerce Chamber, Port Supervision takes the lead.

Only if the involved units or individuals are confirmed to not only have violated laws and regulations but are also suspected of criminal activity, and if the crimes are serious enough to warrant pursuit of criminal responsibility, will the case be handed over to the police.

In short, the Port Supervision Bureau holds the initiative.

Upon receiving Han Xiangning’s call, Sister Zhu immediately reported to Director Tang.

Director Tang requested an urgent report to the Yangtze Port Supervision Bureau. After the responsible leader of the Yangtze Port Supervision Bureau was briefed on the full picture, they reported to the Ministry of Transport overnight.

The Binjiang Port Supervision Bureau, in collaboration with the Changhang Police Binjiang Branch, had already launched an investigation and made significant progress. The source of the fake certificates could soon be found, and it was nearly certain that the source was within the jurisdiction of the Binjiang Port Supervision Bureau — allowing for the investigation by the Binjiang Port Supervision and the Changhang Public Security Bureau Binjiang Branch to be more effective.

Following instructions from the higher-ups in the Ministry, the Ministry of Transport Police adjusted the previous plan which originally designated the East Guang Maritime Public Security Bureau to be in charge, and immediately contacted the Changhang Public Security Bureau to assign the Changhang Public Security Bureau Binjiang Branch to take over the case.

Director He received the notice from the superiors at 9 a.m. the next day, and with a smile, he looked at the notification document delivered to his office and asked, "Old Jiang, would this be considered a case supervised by the higher authority?"

"It’s just designating jurisdiction, I wouldn’t consider it as supervised."

"It’s good to clarify the jurisdiction, as this involves several provinces and cities. When it comes to case jurisdiction, the shipping police on the South Sea side would also have the right to be in charge."

To Director He, the notice from the superiors was just to clarify jurisdiction, and Political Commissioner Jiang didn’t regard it as a significant matter, seeing it was just a case of producing and trafficking fake certificates.

Speaking of fake certificates, there are way too many in circulation in society.

Wherever you go, you can see ads offering fake certificate services. Things had improved slightly due to the heavy crackdown. Before the crackdown, it was almost a daily occurrence to see people sneaking around the docks and ferry points selling fake invoices and claiming to be able to handle all kinds of certificates.

Furthermore, handling seaman’s certificates is a sensitive matter. Port Supervision under the Transportation Department, like the Binjiang Port Supervision Bureau, has the right to organize exams and issue certificates. Local Port Supervisions affiliated with local Transportation Bureaus are also entitled to organize exams and issue certificates. As a result, even those local Transportation Bureaus that are neither by the sea nor by the river and have few rivers at all have the right to issue certificates.

Some local Port Supervisions, just like some traffic management departments under local police, are not strict in guarding economic interests, make a show of training and examinations, and issue certificates as long as people pay.

At the thought of this, Political Commissioner Jiang sighed softly, saying: "Truth and falsehood, falsehood and truth. If upon investigation it turns out all certificates are genuine, that would be embarrassing."

As a seasoned Changhang Public Security officer, Director He was also displeased with the indiscriminate issuance of various certificates by local Port Supervisions. Putting down the notification document, he said: "It’s good to investigate. Some places are really unacceptable. Look at the cargo ships on the river – how many actually meet the standards? And yet they all have complete documentation."

If not approved by the superiors, the locals would approve; if locals don’t approve, the superiors would.

If this province doesn’t give approval, that province will.

Not only are the standards for ships inconsistent, but even the scale of law enforcement is not uniform.

For the same maritime violation, the Ministry of Transport Port Supervisor penalizes one way, while local Port Supervisions penalize another, resulting in chaos.

Political Commissioner Jiang was not surprised and casually said, shaking his head, "This isn’t our concern, let Director Tang and the others worry about it."

"That’s true, we shouldn’t interfere with affairs beyond our position."

"By the way, since our branch has been designated by the higher authority to be in charge, should we notify Old Jiang?"

"Just notify him, but I suspect they already know about it."

The investigation was already being led by the Port Supervision Bureau, which had reported to the Ministry of Transport a few days earlier, and the Severe Punishment Task Force had been working with the Port Supervision Bureau for several days.

Political Commissioner Jiang nodded without remarking further.

...

At the same time, Sister Zhu was sitting in the director’s office, waiting for news with Director Tang.

Yesterday at four in the afternoon, Bailong Port Police Station Director Liu Xinmin, Linghai Police Bureau Criminal Investigation Fourth Squad leader Fang Zhiqiang, and others, through pager numbers, bank account numbers, and the numbers used to call back two shipping companies in Xiguang, were able, with the assistance of the Dacang Public Security Bureau, to preliminarily figure out the identity of "Boss Zhang."

It was startling to realize the extent of the issue once the investigation began.

Although it was essentially confirmed that there was no internal leak from the bureau, the matter was somewhat related to the Binjiang Port Supervision Bureau.

Liuhe waters used to be under the jurisdiction of the Binjiang Port Supervision Bureau, which had set up a Port Supervision Station in Liuhe, until a few years ago when that stretch of water was reassigned to the East Sea Port Supervision Bureau, leading to the closure of the Liuhe Port Supervision Station.

The bureau’s costly VTS system was composed of the Traffic Control Center and four radar stations, one of which was located in Liuhe and is still in use at this very moment.

Not just the Port Supervision Bureau, but the Fishery Administration as well, the Binjiang Fishery Administration Office previously had a Fishery Station in Liuhe.

For a long time, water traffic safety in the Liuhe waters was under the jurisdiction of the Binjiang Port Supervision Bureau. Cargo ships from Dacang had to pass the inspection by the ship inspection department of Binjiang Port Supervision Bureau, and seamen from Dacang had to take exams and get their certificates from the Binjiang Port Supervision Bureau.

Over time, a number of scalpers popped up in Dacang, specifically offering to help with ship inspections and organize seamen’s training and exams.

"Boss Zhang" was one of them and could be considered a regular at both the Binjiang Port Supervision Bureau and the Binjiang Fishery Administration Office!

He was very familiar with the ship inspection department and the Seaman Examination Department, and he also got along well with Old Wu in the reception room, often sitting there for a while whenever he crossed the river for business, sometimes even for half a day.

When Director Tang first took office, he found this strange, but as a director, he couldn’t overreach, and gradually he got used to it.

Looking back now, it is almost certain that the guy always cozied up to Old Wu, staying in the reception room for an hour or two, or even half a day, clearly to intercept official correspondence from the South Sea Sea Supervision Bureau, as all mail and letters are first delivered to the reception room.

"He has dealt with us for so many years, knows our work processes, even knows where our blank certificates are printed."

Sister Zhu took a deep breath, bitterly saying, "He’s so familiar with the ship inspection and exam departments, and even brotherly with Old Wu; to him, our bureau has no secrets. Maybe even the envelopes we use to reply to our colleagues in the South Sea are real."

Director Tang, rubbing his temples, spoke in a low voice, "It’s not too late to mend the pen after the sheep are lost, thankfully it was discovered early, and thankfully it was us who discovered it."

Sister Zhu lamented, "Ningning has done a great job this time. If she hadn’t noticed something was wrong and proactively contact other Port Supervision Bureaus and the Maritime Supervision Bureau, we would have been approached by others."

The same matter, yet the South Sea Marine Supervision Bureau received two replies, one genuine and one false.

Even if Binjiang didn’t investigate, they would investigate and report to the superiors, who would certainly take it seriously.

Initiating an investigation on one’s own is completely different from being investigated by someone else!

Director Tang, still feeling the aftereffects, looked up and said, "It seems Huang Yuanchang does not want to return, and it’s better that he doesn’t. Let him stay in Hanwu for as long as he wishes. Let Han Xiangning continue to take charge of the work of the Third Team. After the New Year, promote Han Xiangning to Big Commander!"

"She just got promoted to Deputy Director this year, is it appropriate to promote her to Big Commander so soon?"

"What’s inappropriate about it? Female comrades can hold up half the sky."

Director Tang thought for a moment, then continued: "Moreover, Han Xiangning is indeed excellent, having held key positions ever since she started working. Just look at the entire Yangtze Port and Navigation System—the Traffic Control Center, the Rescue Center, and the Water Patrol Law Enforcement Team—how many female comrades are there?"

Sister Zhu was taken aback, then couldn’t help but laugh: "The work pressure at the Traffic Control Center is huge, with heavy responsibilities and night shifts involved. Even male comrades find it hard to bear, let alone female comrades. There really aren’t many women undertaking command and dispatch. For water rescue and water patrol law enforcement, the work is both tough and tiring, as well as dangerous. There are even fewer female comrades involved in water rescue and patrol law enforcement."

"That’s why I say Han Xiangning is really good. Besides, our bureau cannot only have you as the female comrade capable of shouldering heavy responsibilities."

"Director Tang, I have never worked in a key position."

"It’s just a different division of labor."

Sister Zhu was delighted from the bottom of her heart that Ningning had the chance to advance further, but then she thought about something and asked, "If Ningning becomes the Big Commander, what will we do if Huang Yuanchang decides to return?"

Director Tang spoke without hesitation: "When I went to Hanwu for a meeting last time, I learned about him. Here, he was arrogant and looked down on everyone, relying on his high educational background. But in Hanwu, he performed very well, eager to take on any task."

"Really?"

"Really, he’s extremely proactive in his work. I heard that the leaders in charge of the legal department at the Marine Bureau are really fond of him."

Director Tang picked up a cigarette and added: "Besides, what kind of organization is the Marine Bureau? There are over forty director-level departments alone. There’s no shortage of positions. He can help out for a while and then it won’t be difficult to transfer him over officially."

While the two were discussing Huang Yuanchang, Liu Xinmin and Fang Zhiqiang were sitting in a teahouse on a street in Liuhe, sipping tea while discreetly observing the small shop diagonally across from them.

A sign indicating a public telephone was hung at the entrance of the small shop. Old Shen on the Xiguang side had confirmed that Boss Zhang had used the public phone in the small shop to return several calls to the person in charge of two shipping companies in Xiguang.

In a few more minutes, the person in charge of the two shipping companies would call Boss Zhang, who happened to be at home today and lived not far from there. It was likely he would come to use the public phone to respond.

In handling a case, it is about catching both the person and the evidence.

Everything was ready now, just waiting for Boss Zhang to walk into the net.

Fang Zhiqiang was there to assist purely with the approval of the bureau leaders. His subordinates were staked out near Boss Zhang’s home, not worrying about Boss Zhang escaping.

He was secretly astonished that just across the Yangtze River, the standard of living here was so much higher than in Linghai. Not only were there many township enterprises and lots of buildings, but locals also had the leisure to enjoy tea drinking—a sight nonexistent in Linghai, which didn’t have a single teahouse.

At this moment, a man in his fifties with a pager walked over.

Auxiliary police Xiao Gu of the Criminal Investigation Fourth Squad followed him from a distance, sneakily looking in this direction.

Fang Zhiqiang gently nudged Old Liu with his elbow. Liu Xinmin got the hint, stood up, and called the owner to pay for the tea.

The person surnamed Zhang indeed walked into the small shop, and it was clear he was making a phone call. After he waited for about a minute, the mobile phone Old Liu had borrowed from Zhang Erxiao rang.

It was Han Xiangning calling. As soon as Old Liu picked up, he heard Han Xiangning anxiously say on the other end of the phone: "Uncle Liu, he returned the call, it’s that number!"

"I see it."

"Then I’ll hang up."

"Go ahead, I’ll go meet him."

Old Liu cautiously pocketed the "big brother" mobile phone and followed Fang Zhiqiang out of the teahouse. They crossed the bustling street and entered the small shop. Without waiting for the owner to speak, he grabbed Boss Zhang by the arm.

"What are you doing?"

"We’ve come to inquire about some matters."

"Who are you?"

"We are from the police."

As soon as Old Liu spoke, Fang Zhiqiang, with the help of auxiliary police Xiao Gu, subdued the man surnamed Zhang and handcuffed him.

Boss Zhang panicked, struggling, and shouting: "What are you doing? Which police station are you from? Even if you are the police, you can’t just arrest people arbitrarily!"

Old Liu did not answer his question. He picked up the phone and chuckled: "Director Shen, it’s Liu Xinmin. Boss Zhang has been caught without delay to your business, right?"

"No, no, a good job done. But merely catching the person is not enough; you need to conduct a quick interrogation and escort him back for a search."

"I know, we brought all the paperwork."

"That’s good, we are waiting for your news."

It was a trap all along!

Boss Zhang realized that everything had been exposed and did not dare to shout anymore, hanging his head in fear, completely losing his composure.

Capturing him on Liuhe’s busiest street attracted many onlookers who recognized Boss Zhang. A few brave ones even blocked the way, demanding clarity on the situation.

Local police station officers came over and scolded: "Nothing to see here, go on with your business! And you, what are you asking for? Is this something for you to inquire about?"

The onlookers were startled and quickly made way.

...

P.S.: I don’t know if it’s due to lack of rest yesterday or what, but today I have a headache, hence the late update. Please forgive me, brothers and sisters.