More than 6,000 kg of banned firecrackers have been seized from across Calcutta, Salt Lake and Howrah in around a week before Diwali.

Police said 56 persons were arrested during the period for illegal sale, transportation and possession of banned crackers.

The seizure of illegal crackers is only an indication of how banned crackers are still being manufactured and sold despite a ban on them.

Around 5,600 kg of banned crackers have been seized from across Kolkata Police jurisdiction over the last one week.

“These firecrackers have been manufactured elsewhere and have been brought here. We have made the arrests based on specific information. A special drive is being conducted,” said a senior officer of Kolkata Police.

Howrah police arrested 24 persons and seized 470 kg of banned crackers while Bidhannagar city police have arrested 13 persons and seized 295 kg of banned crackers in the last 48 hours, police said on Sunday.