Gardaí have expressed concern over the large quantities of illegal fireworks entering the Republic in the run up to Hallowe'en.
A number of seizures of fireworks have taken place since September, including a €250,000 worth of fireworks and counterfeit goods in Carrickarnon, Co Louth, on October 12th.
The majority of fireworks in the Republic come from border towns such as Strabane and Newry and traders in Northern Ireland have been cashing in on the demand for fireworks from southern shoppers.
Fireworks are illegal in the Republic but are on open sale in the North and signs advertising fireworks for sale are commonplace close to the northern side of the Border.
An estimated €300,000 worth of fireworks has been seized since September, though gardaí say it is difficult to estimate the numbers of people travelling to the North to buy them.
The legislation governing fireworks is more than a century old. Under the Explosives Act 1875, it is illegal to throw a firework, while the Explosives Act 1883 gives gardaí the authority to seize fireworks in public. However, prosecutions are rare.
The sheer volume of these illegal goods being taken into the Republic is clearly reflected by the number of fireworks going off on a nightly basis in many border towns in the Republic, such as Lifford, Buncrana, and Letterkenny, Cavan, Monaghan, Castleblayney and Dundalk.
"They are easily available for young people who are anxious to get their hands on them, but it is a breach of criminal law to import them or be in possession of them," said Buncrana-based Supt Greg Sullivan.
"We are very concerned about them. Kids are using them and they are highly dangerous. It is a cultural thing and has been going on for years, but fireworks are deadly things. Every year we see cases of people losing organs or parts of limbs."
However, he acknowledged that the temptation was there for parents to buy them outside the jurisdiction, especially if they came under pressure from children. "We have plenty of parents coming in, not just kids. Even allowing for sterling, they think we are good value and they say it is far cheaper buying them here than on the black market in the south," one retailer in Strabane said.
"I would say that a lot of the parents buying them are very responsible. They at least know what they are getting. We've sold a few large boxes for £100 each."
The selection boxes of fireworks (€25.40-€38.10) are proving to be popular, with one such box offering a range that includes "Planet Gazer Rockets" and "Roman Candles".
In the lead up to Hallowe'en, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) in Co Fermanagh said it ad destroyed more than €127,000 worth of fireworks which it confiscated at Clogher market on the Monaghan border in recent days.
The fireworks were described by police as being volatile and unstable and were destroyed at the Ballykinler British army base in Co Down. The PSNI said it believed that the massive haul, which included over 9,000 bangers, had come into Northern Ireland from a source in Co Longford. Some €2,540 of pirated CDs and DVDs also seized at the market were also destroyed.
Gardaí have warned that fireworks are illegal and advised the public to stay away from them.