HONOLULU — The state’s Illegal Fireworks Task Force seized approximately 17 tons of illegal fireworks Wednesday from a shipping container at Honolulu Harbor that falsely declared its contents as other items.

What You Need To Know

  • According to the newly established Department of Law Enforcement, many of the items were not in consumer fireworks packaging

  • Another 16-ton shipment of illegal fireworks was seized at the harbor last week

  • The Illegal Fireworks Task Force comprises state narcotics agents, deputy sheriffs, county police officers, the Department of the Attorney General, and federal agencies including Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

  • DLE opened a tip line – 808-517-2182 – for the public to anonymously report illegal fireworks trafficking

According to the newly established Department of Law Enforcement, many of the items were not in consumer fireworks packaging, indicating that they were intended for black market sale.

“Furthermore, the fireworks were packaged in amounts that exceeded what any single package may contain under state law,” the department reported in a news release issued on Wednesday. “Today’s shipment also contained illegal aerials and an assortment of other illegal fireworks.”

Another 16-ton shipment of illegal fireworks was seized at the harbor last week.

Investigations into both shipments are continuing.

The Illegal Fireworks Task Force comprises state narcotics agents, deputy sheriffs, county police officers, the Department of the Attorney General, and federal agencies including Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

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

In a further effort to combat illegal firework distribution and use, DLE opened a tip line – 808-517-2182 – for the public to anonymously report illegal fireworks trafficking. (To report illegal fireworks users, the public should continue to call 911.)

In addition, Department of Public Safety deputy sheriffs will assist Honolulu Police Department officer in patrolling the H-1 freeway in the Waipahu area on New Year’s Eve to deter the public from unsafely stopping along the freeway, which poses serious safety hazards for themselves and others.   

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.