The Police Department of Saint Matthew Fireworks season kicked off with a raid that secured illegal fireworks and explosives from an undercover operation, the department announced Wednesday.
Police have received information about a fireworks seller in San Mateo County, where they are illegal, which is why authorities are warning of fines of up to $10,000 and imprisonment.
So authorities designed an operation to limit the sale and use of fireworks in the county. A police officer posed as someone interested in buying the devices from the suspect, later identified as Jose Maga Gonzalez.
The officer met with Maga Gonzalez in a parking lot in San Mateo on Saturday where he sold the officer five M-100s, illegally manufactured explosive devices, other firecrackers and marijuana.
After the sale was completed, additional officers arrived on scene and arrested Maga Gonzalez.
Police searched Maga Gonzalez's vehicle and found a loaded, unserialized .40-caliber firearm, 13.4 ounces of marijuana, the psychedelic psilocybin, a scale, packaging materials and other fireworks.
Maga Gonz ez was taken to the San Mateo County Jail and booked on suspicion of carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle, possession of a controlled substance while armed, possession of a controlled substance for sale, possession of marijuana for sale, sale of marijuana, unlawful possession of fireworks and possession of a destructive device.
Police turned the M-100s over to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office bomb squad for processing and analysis of evidence.
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