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| Fears over black market fireworks | Fears over black market fireworks |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Laws regulating the sale of fireworks must be tightened up to stop them falling into the hands of youngsters, fire chiefs have said. | Laws regulating the sale of fireworks must be tightened up to stop them falling into the hands of youngsters, fire chiefs have said. |
| The Chief Fire Officers' Association says more needs to be done to tackle a thriving underground trade ahead of Bonfire Night on 5 November. | The Chief Fire Officers' Association says more needs to be done to tackle a thriving underground trade ahead of Bonfire Night on 5 November. |
| The call comes despite new controls introduced across Britain in 2004. | The call comes despite new controls introduced across Britain in 2004. |
| Ministers said current laws were adequate but they would be willing to look at any new concerns raised. | Ministers said current laws were adequate but they would be willing to look at any new concerns raised. |
| Under the law passed in 2004, fireworks can only be sold by unlicensed dealers between 15 October and 10 November to coincide with bonfire night celebrations, or in the days leading up to the New Year, Chinese New Year and major religious festivals. At all other times of the year, they can be sold only by licensed dealers. | Under the law passed in 2004, fireworks can only be sold by unlicensed dealers between 15 October and 10 November to coincide with bonfire night celebrations, or in the days leading up to the New Year, Chinese New Year and major religious festivals. At all other times of the year, they can be sold only by licensed dealers. |
| It is illegal to sell them to under-18s, and the law also bans under-18s from possessing fireworks in public. | It is illegal to sell them to under-18s, and the law also bans under-18s from possessing fireworks in public. |
| But fire chiefs say more needs to be done to keep a closer eye on distribution, and to restrict sales to children. | But fire chiefs say more needs to be done to keep a closer eye on distribution, and to restrict sales to children. |
| Police escorts | Police escorts |
| They say fireworks are being sold at car boot sales or even outside schools. | They say fireworks are being sold at car boot sales or even outside schools. |
| Under-18s are increasingly using them as a weapon, they say. | Under-18s are increasingly using them as a weapon, they say. |
| People may be saving themselves a few quid but I don't think I would want to put my family in front of a box of explosives not knowing where they have come from Chris Case, Merseyside Fire and Rescue | People may be saving themselves a few quid but I don't think I would want to put my family in front of a box of explosives not knowing where they have come from Chris Case, Merseyside Fire and Rescue |
| A spate of attacks on fire engines in Merseyside has led to engines being equipped with cameras and given police escorts when heading to known "trouble hotspots". | A spate of attacks on fire engines in Merseyside has led to engines being equipped with cameras and given police escorts when heading to known "trouble hotspots". |
| Mike Hagen, deputy chief fire officer for Merseyside and the CFOA's lead on fireworks, said more effective tracking was required. | Mike Hagen, deputy chief fire officer for Merseyside and the CFOA's lead on fireworks, said more effective tracking was required. |
| "I want to see a far more robust tracking mechanism for these explosives. When they enter the country there should not be any point where we don't know where they are," he said. | "I want to see a far more robust tracking mechanism for these explosives. When they enter the country there should not be any point where we don't know where they are," he said. |
| Police believe much of the illegal trade is funding organised crime. It could make up as much as 20% of the total fireworks business. | Police believe much of the illegal trade is funding organised crime. It could make up as much as 20% of the total fireworks business. |
| The CFOA has also warned that careless storage and handling of illegally stored fireworks is a growing and dangerous problem. | The CFOA has also warned that careless storage and handling of illegally stored fireworks is a growing and dangerous problem. |
| Chris Case, group manager of Merseyside Fire and Rescue, said: "People may be saving themselves a few quid but I don't think I would want to put my family in front of a box of explosives not knowing where they have come from." | Chris Case, group manager of Merseyside Fire and Rescue, said: "People may be saving themselves a few quid but I don't think I would want to put my family in front of a box of explosives not knowing where they have come from." |
| Organised crime | Organised crime |
| Illegal fireworks seized by his department probably started out legal, but had been sold on to unregulated dealers, he said. | Illegal fireworks seized by his department probably started out legal, but had been sold on to unregulated dealers, he said. |
| "Whoever buys these at the hall door doesn't know where they have come from, how they have been stored or what condition they are in," he added. | "Whoever buys these at the hall door doesn't know where they have come from, how they have been stored or what condition they are in," he added. |
| FIREWORKS REGULATIONS 2004 Suppliers of fireworks must hold a licence, except at certain times of yearVendors must inform customers that it is a criminal offence for under-18s to possess fireworksPolice given power to act against under-18s possessing fireworks in a public placePolice given power to act against those found in possession of 'professional' fireworks, or those not intended for public useSuppliers must keep records of sales in excess of 50kg net explosive contentUse of certain fireworks whose noise levels exceed 120 decibels prohibitedImporters of fireworks must give details of storage and onward supply | |
| The fireworks industry says it is working within the new laws but agrees that more needs to be done. | The fireworks industry says it is working within the new laws but agrees that more needs to be done. |
| Andy Hubble, from the British Pyrotechnists Association, told BBC One's Breakfast there should be better checks to root out illegal fireworks. | Andy Hubble, from the British Pyrotechnists Association, told BBC One's Breakfast there should be better checks to root out illegal fireworks. |
| "Illegal fireworks are coming into the country, I don't think anybody disputes that, but the actual numbers are not known. | "Illegal fireworks are coming into the country, I don't think anybody disputes that, but the actual numbers are not known. |
| "If you are tracking fireworks from the port of entry right through to the point of sale then you will have that audit trail, and be able to fully track them, and I think the illegal market would finally be scuppered, which would be a great thing." | "If you are tracking fireworks from the port of entry right through to the point of sale then you will have that audit trail, and be able to fully track them, and I think the illegal market would finally be scuppered, which would be a great thing." |
| Consumer affairs minister Gareth Thomas said existing laws were "working well" but the government was not complacent. | Consumer affairs minister Gareth Thomas said existing laws were "working well" but the government was not complacent. |
| "And that's why I'm very willing to meet with the Local Government Association or the Chief Fire Officers' Association if they have particular evidence that they want to bring before us." | "And that's why I'm very willing to meet with the Local Government Association or the Chief Fire Officers' Association if they have particular evidence that they want to bring before us." |