6500 lbs illegal fireworks, gun, cash seized from Compton home. 26,500 lbs fireworks seized by LASD this week
Deputies from the Compton Sheriff's Station Special Assignment Team received information that illegal and highly dangerous fireworks were being stored and sold from a home in a heavily populated residential area in the City of Compton.
Additional information was gathered by deputies which made it possible to obtain a search warrant for the duplex home on the 1100 block of East Pine Street, Compton.
On Tuesday, July 3, 2012, at about 8:30AM, Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies executed the search warrant at the home.
Deputies found a large amount of illegal and highly dangerous fireworks inside the detached garage of the home. The entire garage had been converted into a fireworks stand and opened for business.
Inside the garage were several closed and unsealed boxes of illegal fireworks. The fireworks recovered consisted of skyrockets, mortars, pyrotechnics, and explosives.
Deputies also recovered, inside the home, a reported stolen firearm and approximately $30,000 in U.S. currency.
The weight of the fireworks was estimated at about 6,500 pounds and a street value of over $15,000.00.
"Storing large amounts of fireworks in a residential area is extremely dangerous," said Captain Diane Walker, LASD Compton Sheriff's Station. "One spark could have ignited thousands of pounds of gunpowder-filled dangerous fireworks. This could have been devastating and deadly for a neighborhood of innocent people."
Six women and two men were detained. The two men were arrested. One suspect was arrested for several offenses including possession of an explosive device and selling fireworks without a proper permit. The other suspect was arrested for receiving stolen property, a stolen firearm.
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Arson / Explosives investigators and Los Angeles County Fire Department firefighters were immediately notified of the fireworks seizure. Los Angeles County Fire Department firefighters took possession of the illegal fireworks and properly disposed of them.
Both suspects were transported to and booked at the LASD Century Regional Detention Facility. The criminal case against both suspects will be submitted to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for filing consideration.
The six females who were detained at the house were later released after determining they had no criminal involvement.
This was the fourth major seizure of illegal dangerous fireworks by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department this week. A total of 26,500 pounds of dangerous illegal fireworks have been recovered by the LASD this past week.
Links below describe the seizures in Norwalk, Willowbrook and East Los Angeles this week:
* 4,000 lbs of Unsafe Illegal Fireworks Seized in East LA. 20,000 lbs Recovered by LASD this week.
(Mon, July 2, 2012)
http://local.nixle.com/alert/4850280/
* 8,000 Pounds of Illegal Dangerous Fireworks, Guns, & Cash Recovered from Willowbrook Home (June 27, 2012)
http://sheriff.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/lasd/media/detail/?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/lasd+content/lasd+site/home/home+top+stories/8000+pounds+of+illegal+dangerous+fireworks
* 8,000 Pounds Of Commercial Grade Illegal Fireworks Won't Be Hitting L.A. Streets (Norwalk, June 26, 2012)
http://nixle.com/alert/4846916/
There are wonderful fireworks shows available throughout Los Angeles County that are "Safe and Sane." Below is a list:
Fireworks Shows in Los Angeles County
http://sheriff.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/lasd/!ut/p/c5/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gLAwgwcjfzdDPw9Hf3dAswNjcyCDLRDwfpwK3CyRwib4ADOBro-3nk56bqF2Rnpzk6KioCAMV4niQ!/dl3/d3/L2dJQSEvUUt3QS9ZQnZ3LzZfOTAwMEdPQlMyRzZNOTBJQ1Q2S1Y0UDFPMzA!/?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/wps/wcm/connect/lasd+content/lasd+site/home/home+top+stories/fireworks+shows+in+los+angeles+county
Members of the public are reminded about the seriousness of possessing illegal fireworks and are encouraged to report such activity to their local law enforcement agency.
If you have any information about illegal fireworks, or any crime, please contact your local Sheriff's Station. Or, if you wish to remain anonymous, call “Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org
If you have any information about this incident, please contact the Watch Commander at Compton Sheriff's Station, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department at (310) 605-6500.
Sergeant Vince Plair
Compton Sheriff's Station
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
(310) 605-6500
www.Compton.lasd.org
Forwarded by:
Captain Mike Parker
Sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau – Newsroom
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
(323) 267-4800
http://www.lasd.org
SHBNewsroom@lasd.org
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Leroy D. Baca, Sheriff
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
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