Fireworks are back in the news. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

A fireworks manufacturer has been fined €450 for storing explosives that were not covered by his licence after police found them at a residence six years ago.

Joseph Calleja, 67, from St Paul’s Bay, holder of manufacturing licence A, was given permission to let off fireworks of a certain size from the rooftop of a residence in Triq Is-Sindku P. Vella, Żebbuġ, on May 12, 2008.

The house belonged to fellow manufacturer Carmel Falzon, 56, from Żebbuġ, who had a licence B, and worked with Mr Calleja at the Twelfth May fireworks factory.

The two men were charged over the illegal storing of the fireworks and in 2013 Mr Falzon was jailed for two years on appeal after he was found guilty of being in possession of, storing and transporting the explosives.

On the day in question, the police raided Mr Falzon’s house after they received an anonymous phone call about a large amount of fireworks that were being kept on the roof.

Mr Falzon and Mr Calleja had been given a permit to let off a limited number of fireworks but officers who visited his house found that Mr Falzon had manufactured and stored fireworks well beyond the permitted amount, the court heard.

They also found that the fireworks were larger than what they were allowed to let off.

In a statement to the police, Mr Falzon said he was in possession of a licence B, which authorised him to help more qualified people in the manufacture of fireworks.

He admitted to sometimes taking explosives home with him to mix and manufacture. He would transport them in his car and take them back once they were ready. Mr Falzon said this was not dangerous because the substance was not that powerful. He said Mr Calleja had no knowledge of what he was doing.

When testifying, Mr Calleja said that on the day in question, he transported the fireworks to Mr Falzon’s house to be let off later that day. But Mr Falzon did not allow him to enter the house.

He became suspicious and phoned the local band club and, accompanied by the president of the club, went to the house.

But on arrival they found the police. Magistrate Doreen Clarke said that while Mr Calleja had not paid enough attention to what was happening to the explosive material and had not adequately controlled the people working there he had not been charged with anything related to this.

She found him guilty of being in possession of fireworks which were larger than stipulated in his licence to handle.

She noted he had a clean police record, had never been found guilty of anything related to fireworks and should not be condemned for the behaviour of Mr Falzon. She fined him €450.

The Twelfth May fireworks factory in Żebbuġ was the scene of an explosion in June last year in which one man was critically injured.