6,500 pounds of illegal fireworks seized from Compton duplex
Sheriff's deputies on Tuesday seized 6,500 pounds of illegal fireworks worth an estimated $15,000 that they believe were being sold out of a Compton duplex, officials said.
The latest bust brings the total amount of fireworks seized across the county this week to about 26,500 pounds, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
After receiving a tip that the fireworks were being stored in the home, in the 1100 block of East Pine Street, deputies executed a search warrant about 8:30 a.m. They found the fireworks — which included skyrockets and mortars — in a detached garage that had been converted into a fireworks stand, officials said.
Deputies also found about $30,000 and a stolen gun belonging to a Long Beach police officer, officials said.
Two men were arrested in the bust: one on suspicion of offenses including possession of an explosive device and selling fireworks without a permit, the other on suspicion of receiving stolen property. Authorities said a criminal case involving both would be submitted to the district attorney's office for review.
The names of those arrested were not immediately available.
Tuesday's raid was the fourth "major seizure" deputies had handled this week, officials said. On Monday, an estimated 4,000 pounds of fireworks worth at least $10,000 were seized in East Los Angeles. About 8,000 pounds were found at a Willowbrook home the day before, with another 8,000 seized from a Norwalk storage locker a week ago.
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