Las Vegas man arrested in Calif. selling illegal fireworks to minors
COSTA MESA, CALIF. — Police in Southern California seized 500 pounds of illegal fireworks and arrested a 51-year-old man after he was caught selling the contraband to minors in a liquor store parking lot, according to a report in Saturday’s Orange County Register.
Police told the newspaper that Antonio F. Arrellano, 51, of Las Vegas paid a Pahrump fireworks store about $2,000 for the items, then transported the contraband in a trailer to California to sell.
According to the news report, officers found about 300 mortars, 300 aerial fireworks, 300 Roman candles, 3,600 bottle rockets, 40 large sky rockets and more than 600 M-150-type explosives inside the trailer, according to a statement by the Costa Mesa Police Department. More than 11,000 firecrackers were also found, the report noted.
Police say officers found the fireworks after receiving a report of a man selling fireworks from a trailer hitched to a red pickup.
Arellano was booked into the Orange County jail on suspicion of selling dangerous fireworks to minors, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and sales of dangerous fireworks.
His bail was set at $20,000.
Officials said they plan to destroy the fireworks.
