NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — A sheriff's task force, now in its second year, will be out this summer to seize any illegal fireworks coming into New York City.
Officers will be targeting areas where fireworks are stored and will go after known suppliers.
"We want to target the locations where they are stored before sale, where they create a hazard of fire and explosion, so it's not all about arresting people, it's about to stopping something really horrific from happening," New York City Sheriff Joseph Fucito said. "And we also want to target the sellers who peddle illegal fireworks that result in multiple serious injuries to adults, and too often to children here in New York City."
The mayor recalled a 3-year-old boy who was burned by a firework that went into a Bronx apartment last year.
"Little boy, rushed to the hospital with cuts and burns. This is serious stuff," said Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Bronx City Councilman Fernando Cabrera said the noise caused by big fireworks are a quality of life issue.
Last year, the city saw a 4,000% increase in fireworks complaints during the first two weeks of June.
"Many of our veterans who has post-traumatic stress are affected by these loud fireworks. Children, like my own grandson, 2 o'clock in the morning the fireworks go off. They affect our children, they disrupt their sleep. Our seniors, and even our pets are effected by these illegal fireworks," he said.
Fucito said most of the fireworks coming into the city are from neighboring states, where they are legal.
"If we observe contraband purchased out of state and it comes into the city and the person that purchased it was under surveillance, once they enter the city they are subject to arrest," Fucito said.
The 32-person New York City Sheriff's Illegal Fireworks Task Force is made up of members of the NYPD and FDNY with help from federal law enforcement.
The task force has already confiscated a load of illegal fireworks before they could hit the streets, according to a photo shared to Twitter on Tuesday night by NYPD Deputy Commissioner John Miller of intelligence and counterterrorism.