Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

Chief superintendents throughout the country have been instructed to introduce measures appropriate to their respective areas of responsibility, with particular emphasis on Garda divisions in the Dublin metropolitan region and in the Border region. The operation, while intelligence driven, is also coupled with sporadic high visibility policing activities. Operation Tombola commenced on 25 September 2006 and in the past week there have been 15 seizures of fireworks with an estimated value of €87,000. Over the past five years such operations have resulted in significant seizures of illegally imported fireworks with an estimated value of more than €2 million. All fireworks seized are forfeited by the person importing them and destroyed in accordance with the provisions of the Explosives Act 1875. The Minister is confident that this year, following the introduction of the new offences and penalties, the Garda operations will be even more successful in combating the illegal importation, sale and use of fireworks.

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