Crime & Safety
Somebody's 4th has Fizzled
Fireworks have been illegal in New York for years, but apparently that hasn't stopped some people from allegedly trying to bring them in.
Written by Lanning Taliaferro
It's that time of year—when police across New York begin finding—and taking away—illegal fireworks.
On May 30, Police upstate pulled a couple over for speeding on the New York State Thruway.
What the trooper found was "a large amount of fireworks."
The man and woman, both Rochester NY residents, were arrested and charged with Unlawfully Dealing with Fireworks Valued Over $500, a class A misdemeanor. The fireworks were confiscated; the couple is due in court June 9.
Fireworks have been illegal in New York for years; people have been smuggling them for years.
The state—and New York city cops—have been cracking down on illegal fireworks for more than a decade, according to thewire.com. In 2013, the NYPD had made 93 seizures of illegal fireworks by July 1, The Wire said.
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