Gardena police have made the biggest single seizure of illegal explosives in California's recent history as a part of a crackdown on the possession and sale of illegal fireworks, police said Wednesday, urging residents to report any suspected illegal pyrotechnic activity.
Gardena police seized greater than 75 tons of illegal fireworks, greater than double the previous record of 32 tons seized from a South Los Angeles warehouse in 2021.
“This investigation is a critical part of our comprehensive plan to enforce the fireworks ban,” Gardena Police Lt. Christopher Cuff told reporters at a press conference Wednesday morning.
The fireworks, believed to be imported from China, were discovered stacked in boxes at a industrial warehouse within the 17000 block of Vermont Avenue and seized in a raid on June 21. Details of what led investigators to the warehouse weren’t released, but officials said they were cracking down on fireworks as a part of a comprehensive plan led by Gardena Police Chief Mike Saffell.
“The goal of our fireworks plan is to improve the quality of life for the residents of the City of Gardena, especially our seniors, our veterans and our pets, to ensure the safety of the community,” Cuff told reporters.
The 75 tons of illegal fireworks, which Cal Fire called an “extraordinary quantity,” had an estimated value of $7 million to $10 million and included 10 kilos of homemade explosives and a pair of,000 illegal explosive devices. With assistance from Cal Fire, Hawthorne Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, over 153 pallets of the fireworks were loaded and transported in stable condition to a fire-safe storage facility.
“It took five 53-foot trailers and a 40-foot tractor-trailer to transport all of the fireworks,” Cuff added.
The final destination and disposal of this stuff haven’t yet been determined, the Cal Fire Office of the State Fire Marshal said in a press release. The office is chargeable for destroying the illegal fireworks once they’re confiscated.
Three suspects – 44-year-old Alejandro Rodriguez of Wilmington, 30-year-old Natalie Navarro of Carson and 25-year-old Daniel Gudino of Wilmington – were arrested and charged with suspicion of possession of explosives and other weapons violations. All three were later released on bail, in line with jail records.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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