A total of 3,660 inspections and 23 arrests took place nationally on Wednesday, under a day of action by police throughout Greece called "Spark-Down" to prevent the illegal manufacture, distribution, sale, and use of fireworks. Some 22 violations were confirmed.
The action was part of a greater plan implemented by the Arms and Explosives Division of the Directorate of State Protection at the Hellenic Police Headquarters, to improve citizens' sense of safety ahead of Greek Easter celebration.
Special police squads carried out inspections throughout Holy Wednesday. They confiscated, among others, the following:
- 49,564 firecrackers
- 41,447 fireworks
- 6,370 children’s playthings
- 152 flares
- 127 improvised explosive devices
- 114 sparklers
- 2,761 grams of raw materials
March-April inspections
Overall, between March 7 and April 8, Hellenic Police carried out 27,027 inspections, arrested 93 people, and confirmed 79 violations nationally. During this month-long period, police confiscated the following:
- 105,762 firecrackers
- 44,139 fireworks
- 6,975 children's playthings
- 1,439 homemade explosive devices
- 452 launchers
- 163 flares
- 149 sparklers
- 27,167.64 grams of raw materials
Arrest examples
The police provided the following examples of arrests they made:
- A woman in Corinth had over 32,000 firecrackers in her seasonal-goods store.
- A man in Lassithi (Crete), was found in possession of over 23,000 firecrackers.
- A man in Attica Region had over 22,000 firecrackers in his food store, as well as smoke bombs, projectile fireworks, and flare guns.
- A man in Messinia (Peloponnese) had ordered 1,000 firecrackers from abroad, while another 59 were found at his house.
The Greek police web page contains a section dedicated to statistics (inspections, arrests, confiscations) as well as useful directions on avoiding the use of firecrackers and other fireworks.
In a statement, the police warned that its inspections "will continue with the same intensity throughout the holiday period, in order to prevent accidents and to protect human life."