Illegal Fireworks Keeps Police Busy
Christmas in Costa Rica is not only tamales, topes and carnavales, but, also fireworks and lots more fireworks.

Anyone who has visited Costa Rica will have found it curious that in just about everywhere in the country, people are setting off fireworks from their backyards.

With that comes the danger of injury and even death and the reason for some municipalities banning the sale of fireworks and police cracking down on the illegal manufacturing and sale .

During this holiday season, the Fuerza Pública (police) have confiscated some 114.000 pieces of fireworks.

Most of the confiscations have come in outlying areas like San Carlos, Upala and Los Chiles, where 78.000 pieces were confiscated and another 26.000 in Pérez Zeledón, Buenos Aires and Osa, and 5.000 in Guanacaste.

Authorities say that, for the most part, the fireworks confiscated are made of explosives used for maximum destruction and prohibited from the public's use.

The majority of the "bombetas" (small bombs as they are called) are imported from neighbouring countries, like Nicaragua and other Central American countries, where the regulations are less stringent. Some of the fireworks confiscated are believed to also be imported from Panama.

Border crossing authorities have intensified their search of vehicles and bags in search of the illegal fireworks.