TWO smokers each received a 50-yuan (US$7.47) fine for illegally smoking in a seashore park in Futian District during the latest inspecting raid conducted by anti-smoking law enforcers Wednesday.

The raid at the Futian Mangrove Ecological Park lasted for one hour. A handful of smokers were caught red-handed smoking cigarettes in the park, which has been banned in public places according to the city’s anti-smoking regulations.

During the inspecting operation Tuesday, two smokers received fines while another got a verbal warning from the law enforcement officers.

Drama ensued during the one-hour inspection as one of the fined violators engaged in a verbal argument with the officers.

The smoker, a senior that had been taken to the hospital by his son, was visiting his family in Shenzhen for only a few days. He was found smoking in the park in the morning. The man’s attitude was modest at first when the law enforcers told him that smoking in the park was not allowed, but changed when his son came to question the inspecting team.

The son of the old man yelled loudly at the law enforcers and questioned whether they would allow their parents to smoke. The father even tried to cool his son down and asked him to stop the argument.

However, when the officers decided to issue a penalty, the old man changed his attitude and complained. “I was just smoking and not breaking the law, why did it take so long and why is the camera filming me?” said the senior. He even said that the experience had given him a bad impression of the city.

The verbal conflict eventually ended when police arrived and asked both sides to calm down. The smoker ultimately accepted the penalty decision.

Another senior who was found smoking under a tree in the park was given a verbal warning. The man put out his cigarette when he saw the inspecting team approaching and said he knew smoking in the park was prohibited.

The city is getting more serious about curbing smoking at public venues. A law enforcement officer from Futian District said that they would strengthen their forces to crack down on smoking in parks. More posters and pamphlets with no-smoking signs will be distributed.

Gao Wenhui, the chief of the Shenzhen Anti-Smoking Association, said that smoking is prohibited at parks for the benefit of pregnant women and children as they are frequent visitors to the parks.

(Zhang Qian)