Greenwich Council has issued a warning about the dangers of buying fireworks from unlicensed stores.
This follows an operation by trading standards officers and the police. They checked 15 stores in the borough and two, in Thamesmead and Blackheath, were selling fireworks without a license.
At the moment, no stores in Greenwich have been licensed to sell fireworks other than immediately before and after Bonfire Night, Diwali, and Chinese New Year.
Illegal equals dangerous
The Council is calling on residents to report any stores that are selling fireworks outside these periods, and urging traders to make sure they have the proper licence.
When shops apply for a licence, council officers can visit them and advise on how to safely store the fireworks. Residents are also warned that unlicensed sellers are more likely to be selling illegal and dangerous goods. They cost £500 for an all-year license, and £13 for a seasonal one.
Only buy from licensed shops
Councillor Angela Cornforth, Deputy Leader of the Council, said: “Properly managed, fireworks can be safe and provide fun at events such as Diwali and Bonfire Night.
“But in the wrong hands they can be deadly, which is why it is so important that people only buy from licensed shops, and let the Council know when they think they are being sold without a licence.
“After all, a trader who does not bother getting a licence is much less likely to be worried about whether the products he is selling comply with the law.”
Also in the inspections of the 15 shops, which were visited because of concerns about underage sales, officers found six that were not displaying a notice about not selling cigarettes to children, which is a legal requirement. Action will be taken over these shops.
24 February 2005