A garda seizure of more than £500,000 worth of fireworks in Dublin has severely curtailed this year's illegal street trade in Hallowe'en bangers and rockets.
It is understood that this is the largest seizure of fireworks to date in the State. The Chinese-made fireworks were found by gardai in a raid on a lock-up yard near Finglas village. They were packed into one truck and two 40-foot containers, one of which also contained 130,000 Polish cigarettes worth about £10,500. The fireworks were in assorted boxes, which included rockets, fuseless "black cat" bangers, Roman candles, "jumping jacks" and "red devil" rockets.
The seizure was made by about 20 officers from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation last Tuesday. A further six pallets of fireworks were seized in a follow-up search of a premises in north county Dublin.
A senior officer involved in the raid said the "massive" illegal consignment was intended for the Dublin Hallowe'en street market.
"The volume of the seizure will put an appreciable dent in the market this season," he said.
Forensic and technical officers were examining the haul at Garda headquarters in Phoenix Park last night. A spokesman estimated that it was worth more than £500,000. The fireworks will be put on display for the media today and then destroyed.
Four men were arrested at the scene of the haul under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act and later released. Two of the men, aged 57 and 20, were from Dundalk, Co Louth. A third, aged 42, was from Finglas. The fourth man was an 18-year-old from Northern Ireland. Gardai said a file on the matter was being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
It is illegal to import, sell or use fireworks in the State. The Explosives Act 1875 prohibits their importation and sale. The Department of Justice can, however, grant licences for approved organised public firework displays.
Twenty people were treated for fireworks-related injuries in October 1995, according to a survey carried out for Temple Street Children's Hospital in Dublin.
Meanwhile, Dublin's Lord Mayor, Mr John Stafford, called on parents and teachers to discourage children from using fireworks, which, he said, when they go off suddenly in public places, can distress "elderly and infirm" people.