State: 17 more tons of illegal fireworks seized

HONOLULU — The state’s Illegal Fireworks Task Force has made another large seizure of illegal fireworks.

The state Department of Law Enforcement late Wednesday afternoon said approximately 17 tons (34,000 pounds) of illegal fireworks were seized earlier in the day from a shipping container.

In executing a search warrant, the task force likely prevented the fireworks from reaching the black market, because many of the seized items were not in consumer fireworks packaging, the department noted.

The fireworks also were packaged in amounts that exceeded what any single package may contain under state law. The shipment seized today contained illegal aerials and an assortment of other illegal fireworks.

The investigation into this shipment and the previous shipment of illegal fireworks announced last week is continuing. To date, the task force has seized nearly 70,000 pounds of illegal fireworks.

“The Illegal Fireworks Task Force is committed to interdicting fireworks wherever and whenever we can locate them,” said DLE Director Jordan Lowe in a statement. “We are currently investigating these illegal shipments and believe that additional seizures of illegal fireworks may be imminent.

“The task force will continue to pursue illegal fireworks and those people who illegally traffic them.”

The DLE is the coordinating agency for the Illegal Fireworks Task Force, which comprises state narcotics agents, deputy sheriffs, county police officers, the Department of the Attorney General and federal agencies that include Homeland Security, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Coast Guard, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The DLE also announced Wednesday it has opened a tip line where the public can anonymously provide information about illegal fireworks traffickers and dealers in Hawaii. The public can call (808) 517-2182 to leave information about people who are illegally importing or selling illegal fireworks across the state.

To report illegal fireworks users, the public should call 911.

For more information about the illegal fireworks tip line, visit law.hawaii.gov.