A total 104 explosive robbery cases were reported across China in 2005, an official of the Ministry of Public Security said on Tuesday.

Explosives which were illegally produced, stored and sold caused 101 deaths and 181 injuries in China in 2005 in 22 separate accidents, Xu Hu, deputy director of the public security administration under the Ministry of Public Security said at a regular press conference.

Nine similar accidents have taken place since the beginning of this year in the country, leaving 60 dead and 36 injured.

Explosive robbery cases occasionally occurred in the country, because some departments for explosive, gun and ammunition management and supervision slack off in management and were poorly equipped,

"On the while, the number of criminal cases involving illegal production, sale and store of explosives, guns and ammunition decreased year by year. But in certain areas, the problem is severe and hidden dangers exist," Xu said.

Some small coal mine owners illegally store explosive even after their coal mines were asked to be closed for safety reasons, thinking that they may reopen their coal mines after government's crackdown on illegal coal mine operation completes. Their illegal store of explosive became the hidden danger of explosion, he said.

The problem of illegally carrying knife tools which were banned to use by government was also serious. Some gang members often carried knife tools in violent scuffles.

In 2005 alone, China's police organs investigated 53,000 cases on illegally carrying knife tools and confiscated 165,000 knife tools.

(Xinhua News Agency June 13, 2006)