HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
HILO CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION SECTION
DETECTIVE EARL HATADA
PHONE: 961-2382
APRIL 15, 1999
F-91540
MEDIA RELEASE
Hilo police arrested a 40-year-old man for a fireworks violation Thursday morning (April 15, 1999).
The man, identified as Salvador Cruz, of a Nanawale Estates address in Puna, was arrested for failure to have a permit required to import, purchase or store fireworks, violating Section 132(D)-7 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes.
Cruz was arrested after police recovered 32 boxes of fireworks at a Keaa Street address in Hilo. Hilo Criminal Investigation Section detectives said the fireworks were brought to the Big Island illegally.
Arrested at 8:20 a.m., Cruz was later released pending further investigation.
According to state law, the importation of fireworks is illegal without a permit from the County Fire Department. A violation of the law is a Class C felony and carries a maximum sentence of five years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000.
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