New York City launches crackdown on illegal fireworks ahead of July 4th
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Wednesday a large-scale, multi-agency crackdown on illegal fireworks ahead of the July 4th holiday.
Calling illegal fireworks both noisy and dangerous, the mayor announced the creation of an Illegal Fireworks Task Force.
"We're going after the people who bring these fireworks into New York City to begin with," de Blasio said. "We're getting right at the source."
The mayor recalled the three-year-old boy burned by a firework that went into his Bronx apartment last year, as he warned people setting off fireworks illegally that "this is serious stuff."
As in past years, law enforcement will be surveilling fireworks bought legally from out of state stores by city residents. When the residents return to the city, they will be arrested.
The Illegal Fireworks Task Force will be composed of members from the following agencies:
-NYC Sheriff
-NYPD Intel
-FDNY
-Port Authority
-NY State Police
-Yonkers Police
-NJ State Police
-U.S. ATF
It appears the unofficial holiday has already started in the city, where clearly illegal fireworks were set off Tuesday night at the intersection of Berry Street and South 10th Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Dramatic video of the incident was posted at 10:40 p.m. last night by the Williamsburg News.
Just last week a suspect was arrested for illegally trafficking fireworks to NYC on June 3. Persaud Sudesh was charged with unlawful sale of fireworks.
Illegal fireworks have been an ongoing problem in the city, especially last summer amid the COVID lockdown.
ALSO READ | Wild video shows dozens setting off illegal fireworks in Brooklyn
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