2 Women Arrested After Authorities Find 250 Pounds Of Illegal Fireworks At Chinatown Store
EL MONTE (CBSLA.com) — El Monte police detectives arrested two women after seizing 250 pounds of illegal fireworks at a Chinatown store.
Lana Sieu Ngu, 43, and Ngoc Pham, 45, were taken into custody during a raid of a shop at 828 Broadway, El Monte police Lt. Christopher Williams said.
The women were expected to be booked on suspicion of possession of a destructive device and sale of explosives.
Authorities were not as concerned with the size of the bust but with the product that was being sold — M-1000 explosives.
"Basically, an M-1000 is equated to about a quarter-stick of dynamite," Williams said. "So, you can imagine the amount of damage that could do."
Williams added, "In some cases, the people who sell this take no obligation or no understanding that they might be selling to somebody that doesn't understand the level of damage it can cause."
The fireworks bust was part of a larger operation by El Monte police, who last week seized 22 tons of illegal fireworks from a warehouse in Gardena.
"We're not over. It's going to continue until the Fourth of July," Williams said.
KCAL9's Kristine Lazar reports that the fireworks are made in China and imported into the United States.
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