Task Force confiscates 17.5 tons of illegal fireworks in third large seizure in two weeks

The Illegal Fireworks Task Force seized an additional 17.5 tons (about 35,000 pounds) of illegal fireworks on Friday during a routine tariff inspection of a shipping container transiting from the US mainland to Hawai‘i.

This is the third shipping container within the last two weeks discovered during routine tariff inspections to have contained illegal fireworks. To date, the task force has seized nearly 105,000 pounds of illegal fireworks since its inception about five months ago.

Illegal Fireworks Task Force Officers have detained the container and will complete the seizure of the fireworks upon the execution of a search warrant. The contents of today’s shipping container were falsely declared as other items. Moreover, the fireworks were likely destined for the black market on a neighbor island.

“The Illegal Fireworks Task Force’s objective is to prevent the introduction of illegal fireworks into our communities. We expect additional seizures of illegal fireworks to be imminent,” said Department of Law Enforcement Director Jordan Lowe.