The Police Department of Saint Matthew kicked off the fireworks season with a raid, netting explosives and illegal fireworks from an undercover operation, the department announced Wednesday.
Police received information about a fireworks vendor in San Mateo County, where fireworks are illegal, and authorities are warning of fines of up to $10,000 and imprisonment.
Thus, 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 José Magaña González.
The officer met with Magaña 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 the scene and arrested Magaña González.
Police searched Magaña 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.
Magaña Gonzalez 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 the evidence.
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