(UPDATE) PASIG City authorities have intensified operations against illegal fireworks traders, with Mayor Vico Sotto reporting arrests and confiscations as the city enforces a strict no-permit policy ahead of the New Year, on Saturday morning. Sotto said the Pasig police arrested an online seller and confiscated the items as part of coordinated operations against the distribution of prohibited firecrackers in the city. The mayor also shared photos of the confiscated items, which included a Judas belt, Five Star, Kwitis, Whistle bomb, and other illegal firecrackers. He said this year marked the first time the Pasig local government stopped issuing special permits to sell fireworks or firecrackers, stressing that even individuals who personally appealed at city hall were denied approval. The mayor said the city continues to face enforcement challenges due to its proximity to fireworks manufacturers and distributors, noting that illegal firecrackers can still enter Pasig because it shares boundaries with seven other local government units. He said similar boundary-related issues have affected other concerns, including the movement of homeless individuals during rescue operations conducted by neighboring LGUs. Sotto said the Pasig LGU, the Pasig Police, the Public Order Department, and village officials are jointly intensifying monitoring and enforcement operations across communities. He said authorities will continue to arrest violators, particularly vendors selling prohibited firecrackers, as part of efforts to protect residents and ensure a safe New Year celebration.