The Upper Austrian police have already removed considerably more illegal fireworks this year than in previous years. In December that was a total of 517 kilograms. The police explains the record number with the fact that large supermarket chains no longer sell fireworks and are therefore attracting more people to the Czech Republic. In addition, the controls have been tightened.
“If there are fewer fireworks sold in Austria, people will just get things elsewhere,” said district inspector Markus Kreilmeier, an expert in explosives and pyrotechnics at the state police headquarters. In his estimation, the number of illegal fireworks will continue to rise in the coming years and he does not believe the public will change their mind.
And given the choice in the Czech Republic, fireworks would often be used at a higher level of danger than is permitted in Austria. In this country, only fireworks experts are allowed to own and fire fireworks of class F3 and above.
70 kilos in just one car
Of the more than half a ton of illegal fireworks seized in December, about 220 kilograms were seized on December 28 alone — including a record nearly 70 kilograms found from one person. All in all, the checks mainly result in small amounts per car: “For every ten smaller finds, there is one larger one,” says district inspector Kreilmeier. The people caught with illegal fireworks are said to be mainly men between 18 and 25 years old, and many have an immigrant background.
Fireworks are destroyed
The police secure the illegal fireworks and, after the administrative criminal proceedings have ended, they are forwarded to the defusal service for destruction after approximately four to six weeks. Illegal fireworks carry administrative fines of up to 3,600 euros. If you have a full bag of illegal fireworks with seven to eight packs with you, you have to take into account a fine of 800 to 1,000 euros, Kreilmeier gives an example from the Urfahr region.
Source: Krone
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