Half a ton of illegal fireworks seized from Boyle Heights home

 Members of the San Gabriel Valley Arson Explosives Task Force have seized more than half a ton of illegal fireworks from a residential neighborhood in Boyle Heights, averting a potentially explosive and deadly situation, authorities said.

“Given the amount of fireworks in the residence, and the densely populated area ... we could have had a detonation of all that material, and it would have destroyed a good portion of the block, or several houses,” said Alhambra Fire Department Assistant Chief John Kabala.

The investigation originated after arson investigators from the Alhambra Fire Department found dangerous fireworks and unlawful explosives being advertised for sale on Craigslist, Kabala said. The department conducts regular checks of the free classified advertising site, Kabala said.

During the search of the site, an individual selling the contraband began corresponding with investigators, and arrangements were made for the exchange of the illegal product for money, Kabala said. Investigators subsequently met with a man and woman at a designated location at 9 a.m. Thursday and arrested them after they conducted the illegal sale.

About 100 pounds of illegal fireworks were recovered from the trunk of a compact vehicle, Kabala said. Investigators then obtained search warrants for locations in South Los Angeles, Boyle Heights and Lincoln Heights.

At the South L.A. location, a small amount of illegal fireworks were retrieved from the bedroom of one of the suspects, Kabala said. But a search of the Boyle Heights address in the 550 block of South Mathews Street and directly opposite a middle school and high school, turned up a huge cache of illegal fireworks.

“It was stored all over the house ... In the living room, the hallway, in cabinets,” Kabala said.

Lt. Ellis Imaizumi with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Hollenbeck Division said his department received calls from several residents, concerned about the large presence of law enforcement personnel in their neighborhood.

What appeared to be a Tech 9 assault weapon was also discovered during the search, Kabala said. In all, investigators seized about 1,200 pounds of fireworks during the enforcement operation, in which at least 20 law enforcement personnel participated. They included police and fire investigators from Alhambra, South Pasadena, Monterey Park, Sierra Madre and the California Highway Patrol. The Pasadena authorities and the CHP have explosives detection dogs, Kabala said.

“It’s very similar to a drug [sting] operation,” said Kabala, noting that the seized products were made in China and shipped into the United States for distribution. “For a lot of people, it’s easy money. You can make a clean profit of $20,000 to $25,000, for buying $5,000 worth of products.”

Kabala said the contraband was carefully removed from the residence and transported under police escort to a storage facility, where it would remain until it could be transferred to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department’s bomb range.

 -- Ann M. Simmons

Photo: Fireworks seized at a home in Boyle Heights. Credit: San Gabriel Valley Arson Explosives Task Force.

The 550 block of South Mathews Street is in Boyle Heights. To learn more about the demographics and schools in this community visit Mapping L.A.'s Neighborhoods.

Comments

[Bob Smith]

“Given the amount of fireworks in the residence, and the densely populated area ... we could have had a detonation of all that material, and it would have destroyed a good portion of the block, or several houses,”

Absolute BS. Those are 1.4G consumer fireworks. By definition they do not present a mass explosion hazard.

Division 1.4 Explosives: Division 1.4 consists of explosives that present a minor explosion hazard. The explosive effects are largely confined to the package and no projection of fragments of appreciable size or range is to be expected. An external fire must not cause virtually instantaneous explosion of almost the entire contents of the package.

[Bob Smith]

It seems somebody doesn't want any fact-checking by the commenters... My last comment appears to have been removed.

Now selling fireworks that are illegal in CA is stupid and advertising them on craigslist is even dumber. But...

“Given the amount of fireworks in the residence, and the densely populated area ... we could have had a detonation of all that material, and it would have destroyed a good portion of the block, or several houses,” said Alhambra Fire Department Assistant Chief John Kabala.

This statement is an absolute lie. The fireworks in the picture are 1.4G consumer fireworks. All fireworks are low explosives, therefore incapable of detonation by definition (only high explosives detonate). Furthermore, 1.4G fireworks by definition cannot mass detonate and would be a fire danger if the place lit up, but would not be an explosion hazard to any other houses or people in the area.

They compare it to a drug bust and it certainly feels that way. They use the same nonsense every time they arrest somebody with pot.

[Scott]

I think what the gentleman was trying to illustrate is that the presence of fireworks stored in large quantities in a residence, places all the occupants at risk irregardless whether the devices detonate or deflagrates, hence the 1.4 EXPLOSIVE designation. Either way, if the devices were to catch on fire, it would definately accelerate the fire growth in the structure increasing the liklihood that the fire would extend to adjacent buiildings. Not to mention impeding the ability of the occupants to exit.

Also, referencing the drug bust comment, these are illegal, they are being offered for sale illegaly, and they do cause harm which is illegal. Also, FYI, marijuana is ILLEGAL.

[andy]

bob smith is right i am a lisenced pryotechnican what he said about 1.4 g is true those arent illegal fireworks those are consumer any body off the streets that are of age 18 can buy them 1.3g are illegal and thats why i buy with my liscense people off streets can not get their hands on these unless they get them from somebody illegaly but those in this picture are not illegal i know ive shot many professional shows i know what im talking about with fireworks and bob smith seems to know also

[andy]

i dont live in cali but if you look up the laws in cali for fireworks it might be illegal to have 1.4g also unless it would be a smoke bomb are something little that doesnt go up in the air even .75 inch shells would be illegal if the law of that state says all fireworks are illegal unless maybe sparklers are something like that which is not a real firework although they have caused almost or even more injuries to people than the big arterlly shells you can buy and rocekts

[andy]

when that investiagor met with those people to bust him for selling illegal fireworks depends on what he was selling if hes lisenced and sells 1.3 g to the officer that doesent have a lisence hes got about probalbly 10 years in jail either way if not lisecned to sell and or are lisenced by sell to someone who isnt you are busted if you get caught that for sure

[andy]

you go to a firework store you will see these that this person had becasue they are 1.4 g that is crazy he had them all over inside the house to like in cabinets i mean geeze man that is a little stupid 1.4 g can cause serious fires if they would go off but would not get near the explosive damage a 1.3 g shell or shells would cause 1.4 g is made to be legal for some states like indiana and they arent near is big or powerful is 1.3g even if you buy a 2inch shell thats 1.4 g is notthing compare to 1.3 g 2 inch shell that is becuase they make 1.4 g safer becasue normal people off the streets can buy them and they are trying to keep people a little safer if all these people had 1.3 g that they could buy off the self there would be even more injureis because they do not know that 1.3 g shells light extremelly quick and should only be used by professional liscned pyrotechnicans