Police raid nets cache of illegal fireworks

Jeddah police officers in plain clothes on Wednesday raided a large warehouse storing illegal fireworks. The contents included hand grenades, explosives and land-to-air rockets in downtown Jeddah. They were intended for sale during the remaining days of Ramadan and the Eid holiday.
“Usually these items are sold to children and young people who are not really aware of their dangers,” Nawwaf Al-Bouq, spokesman for Jeddah police, told Arab News.
“The police were able to seize more than 1,000 large boxes that contained many dangerous products,” he said. “It’s true that some people enjoy playing with these ‘toys,’ but they are dangerous."
Al-Bouq said usually around Ramadan a black market for high-grade fireworks emerges.
One seller arrested by the police, a young African in his 20s, is in Saudi Arabia on an expired visa. He told the police the people who mostly buy fireworks are fathers who come along with their children and allow them to choose the toys.
He said: “Some of these make really high explosive sounds. And some shoot up in the sky and explode there in very beautiful patterns.”
He said their prices start from SR10 each, and some fetch as much as SR100. An average customer would buy fireworks valued at SR700.”
Abdullah Al-Qahtani, chief of Jeddah police, said that fireworks are dangerous.
“It could be truly hazardous to children's lives,” Al-Qahtani said. They could also threaten the lives of passers-by. I urge all parents to find other, much safer, ways to entertain their children and bring joy to their hearts. These toys could end up in tragedies. And that’s why we are relentlessly chasing these sellers, because we are doing our best to eradicate this highly unsafe practice of our community.”