State fire officials and Gardena police seized more than 75 tons of illegal fireworks in Gardena over the weekend in one of the largest illegal fireworks seizures ever in the state, officials said Tuesday, June 25.
The raid took place at an undisclosed location Saturday morning..
“The seizure included illegal dangerous and public display fireworks up to eight inches in diameter and over 2,000 illegal destructive devices and 10 pounds of bulk homemade explosives,” Cal Fire officials said. Gardena police estimated the value of the illegal fireworks at between $7 million to $10 million
Alejandro Rodriguez, 44, of Wilmington; Natalie Navarro, 30, of Carson; and Daniel Gudino, 25, of Wilmington, were arrested on suspicion of possession of explosives and various weapons charges. Los Angeles County prosecutors will determine the final charges, police said
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The Office of the State Fire Marshal Arson and Bomb Unit assisted Gardena police with seizing and processing “the extraordinary amount of illegal fireworks discovered,” officials said. In a press release, Gardena police called it “the largest single seizure in recent California history, surpassing the previous record set in 2021 when 32 tons of fireworks were seized in a South Los Angeles warehouse.”
How authorities became aware of the large amount of illegal fireworks and where they were being stored was not immediately disclosed.
Officials, at least some of whom were with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, were seen carrying boxes of fireworks – some stacking them on dollies – near a trailer outside a brick building Saturday afternoon. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, San Bernardino County Fire Department, Riverside Police Department and ATF all helped with the seizure and investigation, Cal Fire officials said.
