Binjiang Police Affairs-Chapter 485 - 340: He’s Way Behind in Handling Funds!_2

Repairing and sailing ships are your expertise, but you’re far from experienced in handling finances!

Han Xiangning became more excited as she thought about it, went to the command dispatch room on the second floor to grab her briefcase, and called on Third Team worker and driver, Old Ge, asking him to drive her to the city center.

By the time they reached the bureau, it was already half-past nine in the morning; the bureau’s leaders had just finished a meeting.

She first located Sister Zhu, closed the door, and reported the situation.

Zhu Chunmiao was shocked and hurriedly led her to knock on the director’s office door.

"When did Xiao Han arrive?"

"Director Tang, Ningning has a very important situation to report."

"Very important?"

"And it needs to be kept confidential."

Director Tang, having never seen Zhu Chunmiao so serious, immediately invited them to sit down and asked in a low voice, "What’s the situation?"

Seeing Sister Zhu looking at her, Han Xiangning quickly opened her briefcase, took out a stack of forged certificates of competence and service books, and reported, "Director Tang, these were seized by our Third Team during patrols and law enforcement these past two months. The forgeries are of high quality, almost indistinguishable from the real ones."

Director Tang took two books, carefully examined them, and gestured for her to continue.

"Fake certificates are nothing new, we’ve seized quite a few over the years, but ones this realistic are rare. Moreover, the issue dates on these fake certificates are all from three to four years ago. Therefore, I suspect that the crew members who handled the fake certificates might use these highly realistic fakes to obtain real certificates at Brother Port Supervision Bureau or Marine Supervision Bureau."

The beginning is always the hardest, a saying that also applies to crew members obtaining certificates.

The most difficult part is the initial certification; once obtained, it is relatively easier to upgrade or exchange inland river vessel certificates for ocean-going vessel certificates.

It’s somewhat similar to how without a junior high school diploma, one couldn’t take the self-study exam for vocational high school.

Director Tang put down the fake certificates in his hand, looked up and asked, "What next?"

Han Xiangning said embarrassingly, "I’m pregnant, so Director Jin and Uncle Ge wouldn’t let me patrol the river. I stayed on the dunship with nothing much to do, so I called Brother Port Supervision Bureau and Marine Supervision Bureau to ask if any crew members holding our bureau’s certificates had come to take exams recently."

"What did they say?"

"I made many calls, and surprisingly, I actually got something. A comrade from the exam department of South Sea Marine Supervision Bureau said that from last September to this July, over two hundred crew members from Jianfu, Xiguang, and our Jiangnan, holding certificates from Hui’an Bubang, Xijiang Jingde Town, Jiangnan Yangzhou, and other three provincial and five local port supervision bureaus, including our Binjiang Port Supervision Bureau, have come there to obtain sea-going vessel certificates."

Director Tang couldn’t believe it was true, his eyebrows furrowed as he said, "According to procedure, once they receive the application materials, they should send us a letter for verification. Only after receiving our reply can they confirm the authenticity of the application materials and organize the exams for those crew members."

Han Xiangning once again opened her briefcase, took out a fax, and gently placed it in front of the director, "They sent us a letter, and we replied."

"Sister Zhu, the exam department is under your supervision, did you know about this?"

"I didn’t know."

Zhu Chunmiao stretched out her arm, pointed at the official seal on the reply fax, and said in a low voice, "Ningning just showed me this reply letter, and I’ve compared our bureau’s seal with the one on it. They look very similar, almost indistinguishable, but upon closer inspection, they’re not the same, it wasn’t issued by our bureau."

The bureau hadn’t stamped the fake reply letter. Director Tang slightly relaxed, then puzzledly asked, "But they sent us a letter, where did that go, did we receive it?"

"I don’t know, this is no small matter, I didn’t inquire further, not wanting to startle the snake."

"Are you saying the letter from South Sea Marine Supervision Bureau was intercepted by someone, and they sent back a reply in our name?"

"That must be the case, otherwise where would this reply letter have come from?"

"Who did this, bold enough to intercept official correspondence!"

If this was done by staff within the bureau, then Binjiang Port Supervision Bureau would be notorious within the system.

Zhu Chunmiao could understand the director’s feelings, hastily added, "I think the problem might not necessarily be within our bureau. Not only did South Sea Marine Supervision Bureau send letters to verify with us, but they also sent letters to five local port supervision bureaus in three provinces, and all received replies. What does this imply?"

Director Tang pondered and said, "It implies that the problem might also be on their side, or even possibly within the postal system."

"If there’s a problem, we need to solve it. Director Tang, I suggest we immediately report this to the Ministry of Transport and collaborate with the Changhang Bureau for the investigation. If we don’t report it, the South Sea Sea Supervision Bureau will."

"We must investigate, and we must uncover everything!"

"If there’s an internal mole in the bureau, reporting this promptly and collaborating with the Changhang Bureau for the investigation can help us take the initiative. It’s always better than being investigated by others."

Director Tang thought Sister Zhu’s words made sense and reached for the phone.

Act on behalf of those who trust you, and be loyal in your tasks.

Sister Zhu quickly said, "Director Tang, this matter must be kept confidential. We should not let too many people know; otherwise, we can let Xiang Ning take charge of the investigation."

The more people know, the higher the risk of information leakage.

After weighing the options, Director Tang stared at Han Xiangning and asked, "Xiao Han, I trust your capabilities. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have noticed such a critical situation. But this matter involves so many provinces and cities, and you may need to travel. You’re pregnant, can you handle the strain?"

Opportunities are rare and must not be missed.

Han Xiangning immediately stood up and said, "Director Tang, I’m just pregnant, not sick. My sister-in-law, Xiao Qin, was several months pregnant and still traveled by train from Beihai Province to Linghai to attend San’er’s master’s funeral. Less than two months after giving birth, she and Brother Haoran accompanied the master’s wife on a days-long train ride back for San’er and my wedding."

At their wedding banquet with Salted Fish, Director Tang had met Sister Wei and Xu Haoran.

Seeing her subordinate take a stand, Director Tang slightly nodded, "Okay, this task is yours. Whatever support you need from the bureau, go directly to Director Zhu."

"Yes!"

"Regarding the Changhang Bureau, I will call Director He first and ask him to arrange two police officers to assist you."

"Director Tang, I’m familiar with the Changhang Bureau. I’d like to ask Director Jiang to help us with the investigation."

Director Tang had a vague impression of this person and asked in a low voice, "The instructor from the Bailong Port Police Station who attended your wedding last time?"

"Director Tang, Director Jiang is a veteran criminal investigator. He used to be the head of the Criminal Investigation Department at the Binjiang Port Police Bureau, now assigned to the bureau to lead the Severe Punishment Task Force. He is no longer an instructor."

"Since he’s a veteran detective, that should be fine. By the way, why not let Salted Fish investigate?"

"He’s on a business trip."

"Still in East Guang? He hasn’t returned?"

"He has another secret task. I don’t know specifically where he went or what he’s doing."

"Alright, then let’s ask Director Jiang for help."

Han Xiangning, bursting with excitement, seized the moment, "Director Tang, now that we have a lead, I believe if we follow the clues, we can certainly destroy the fake certificate den and catch those who sell and use them. If there are fines and confiscations, could the money go towards building a new ship for San’er?"

Leaders of various law enforcement agencies involved with Shijiang were aware of Salted Fish’s desire to build a new ship.

Regarding possible confiscation and fines, by convention, they should belong to the police. Salted Fish is now Deputy Division Commander at Changhang Bureau’s Fire Brigade and Deputy Director of the Bailong Port Police Station.

Building a new ship for Salted Fish means benefits stay within the group.

Moreover, building a new ship for Salted Fish would only bring benefits to the Port Supervision Bureau.

Director Tang thought for a moment and said meaningfully, "I definitely have no objections, but you’ll have to negotiate with the Changhang Bureau."

"This negotiation shouldn’t be difficult. I won’t give them nothing, I won’t let them help in vain. If they find it too little, I’ll turn to the Water Police Station."

"Right, I’ll call Director He first. Sister Zhu, you and Xiao Han go talk to Director He later."

"Okay, it’s better to talk to them than here in our bureau."

...

PS: This Marine Supervision is not another Marine Supervision; this Marine Supervision Bureau belongs to the transportation system, locally known as the Port Supervision Bureau. After organizational reforms, the transport system’s Marine Supervision Bureau and the Port Supervision Bureau unified into the Maritime Bureau.