by TAMER EL-GHOBASHY
FDNY investigators busted six people hauling $2,000 worth of illegal fireworks into the city after following them from stores in Pennsylvania, officials said Tuesday.
Fire marshals observed the suspects with New York license plates leaving Phantom Fireworks in eastern Pennsylvania with the recreational explosives and tailed them until they crossed the George Washington Bridge, the FDNY said.
Four men were stopped with about $1,000 in firecrackers, sparklers and bottle rockets, and their 1998 Plymouth Concord was seized, Chief Fire Marshal Robert Byrnes said.
About 45 minutes later, two Long Island brothers were stopped with a similar cache. Their 2008 Ford Expedition was also taken by authorities.
All of the suspects have been charged with illegal dealing of fireworks, a misdemeanor.
Byrnes said busts were part of a seasonal enforcement to prevent an influx of fireworks for July 4. Since mid-May, 16 people have been charged with bringing fireworks into the city, he said.
"If we prevent one child from being injured or a person's home from being destroyed by illegal fireworks," Byrnes said, "then we have made this city a safer place."
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