Photo: Capt. John Ganley (near l.), executive officer of the 106th Precinct, and Lt. Frank DiPreta (near r.), the command’s Special Operations coordinator, proudly displayed last week the fruits of a massive, $100,000 fireworks takedown in Ozone Park. Courtesy of NYPD
Last week, 106th Precinct officers executed a search warrant at an Ozone Park garage that yielded an arrest and the seizure of an enormous cache of more than 100 boxes of illegal fireworks with a street value of approximately $100,000.
The massive bust, which netted a 30-year-old man an unlawful dealing with fireworks charge, spotlighted the NYPD’s zero tolerance policy when it comes to Fourth of July illuminations.
According to Capt. John Ganley, executive officer of the 106th Precinct, a search warrant was secured after an investigation into the 89th Street structure—technically located within the confines of the 102nd Precinct—conducted by the command’s Field Intelligence Unit.
“Our Sgt. [Joseph] Muir developed information that a substantial amount of fireworks were at this location,” Ganley reported on Tuesday at the Howard Beach-Lindenwood Civic meeting.
After surveilling the property, Ganley, who was present for the takedown, said Special Operations officers moved in and immediately discovered “a plethora of boxes.”
The suspect indicated that the fireworks were acquired in Maryland and transported up here, Ganley said.
“He must have made a lot of trips,” Ganley joked, due to the amount of fireworks the cops found.
The stockpile was subsequently detonated in a controlled setting by the department’s Bomb Squad.
“With the Fourth of July upon us, everyone enjoys the holiday and the professionally organized fireworks displays that are a part of the holiday tradition but illegal fireworks are dangerous not only to the people discharging them but also to the people who reside in the areas where these fireworks are being set off illegally,” Ganley added. “We strongly urge our community partners who become aware of illegal fireworks displays to report these incidents to the police department.”
By Michael V. Cusenza
michael@theforumnewsgroup.com
