More than 120,000 pounds of fireworks have been seized in an illegal operation in the South Bay area of Los Angeles in one of the largest fireworks busts in state history, authorities said.
The fireworks display was so big that Cal Fire’s bomb squad was called in to assist local police.
Several people were arrested during an early morning raid Saturday, according to a joint statement from the Gardena Police Department and the State Fire Marshal’s Office. The exact location has not been revealed.
Some of the fireworks are up to 8 inches in diameter, about the size of a bowling ball. More than 2,000 illegal destructive devices and 10 kilograms of homemade explosives were also confiscated.
No further information was provided regarding the seizure due to the ongoing criminal investigation. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the Cal Fire Bomb Squad at [email protected].
Last year, the Los Angeles Police Department seized 38,000 pounds of illegal fireworks from a warehouse in South Los Angeles.
The raid comes two years after Los Angeles police injured 17 people and displaced dozens of residents when they tried to detonate a fireworks warehouse in a South Los Angeles neighborhood.
As the Fourth of July approaches, Cal Fire reminds the public that it is illegal to sell, transport or use fireworks that are not stamped “Safe and Sound.” Fireworks are also not allowed in communities that prohibit them. Depending on the crime, fire law violators can face up to a year in jail and up to $50,000 in fines if convicted.
Fountain
