Half-Ton Of Illegal Fireworks Confiscated From Shed In Garden Grove

GARDEN GROVE (CBSLA.com) — Authorities confiscated a half-ton of illegal fireworks from a shed in Orange County as part of an effort to increase safety for the 4th of July holiday.

Garden Grove police issued a stern warning on Wednesday night, following the operation to confiscate the illegal fireworks.

"We're going to go after you, we're going to arrest you, and you will get booked in Orange County jail for felonies," Garden Grove Police Sgt. Carl Whitney said. "We've seized over a thousand pounds of illegal fireworks with a street value of close to ten thousand dollars."

Investigators were led to the 29-year-old man hiding the fireworks through a Craigslist ad. The operation took place after the department set up a number of undercover buyers.

"The first couple times, we purchased smaller quantities, and asked for larger quantities, which led up to today," Sgt. Whitney said. "We wanted to make sure we were getting a guy who was dealing and distributing large quantities of illegal fireworks, not only in Garden Grove, but in the surrounding cities."

Investigators also found chemicals used to make illegal fireworks, along with detonation devices.

"Anything that shoots up in the air, and explodes, is not safe and sane," Sgt. Whitney said. "If it doesn't have the state logo with the Safe-and-Sane mark on it, those are illegal also."