NYPD's July 4th Warm-Up: Illegal Fireworks Raids

We know July 4th is around the corner when we hear about the police seizing caches of illegal fireworks. Yesterday, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly announced "one of the largest fireworks seizures" in city history: 9,000 pounds of fireworks were found in Sheepshead Bay. Newsday reports that the fireworks included "mortar shells typically used in professional displays, as well as something called the 800-Shot Grand Finale Saturn Missile Battery, which is as big as a small table."

Apparently people knew to go to the D'Ambrosi house on East 27th Street to get fireworks. A sergeant said, "the basement was set up like a store. It looked like a Kmart. All these were on display on shelves. We've never seen anything like this before. There were supply lists with prices and the itemized names of each one, about three pages' worth." And get this: Some fireworks were marketed to young girls, as they were packaged in pink backpacks with "What a Girl Wants" written on them!

Five men, including Lawrence D'Ambrosi and his brother Christopher D'Ambrosi, were arrested with weapons possession and illegal dealing in fireworks. Rudy Giuliani formed the NYPD-FDNY Joint Fireworks Task Force in 1995, cracking down on illegal fireworks all over. NY Magazine pointed out that Mayor Bloomberg, with his presidential aspirations, may want to reconsider how undercover NYPD cops crack down on people who buy fireworks in Pennsylvania and bring them to the city.

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By Jen Chung in News on June 27, 2007 1:29 PM

Comments [rss]

guest

I can't just go along with the sentiment here against fireworks . I look at it this way, If the kids want to play with fire, Then getting burned, Maimed becomes an equation . I hate to see the City "Baby-Sitting" someones child like this . Posted By; "Still Not Amused"

guest

you lot who enjoy pyrotechnics so much should enlist for military service in Iraq

guest

Nothing more fun on the fourth than putting on your own show after a fun rooftop BBQ gathering.

I loved those reloadable mortars. Got some memorable pics before the ban.

guest

This pea-brain stored the fireworks in his basement?

One careless cigarette, frayed electrical cord, etc. and BOOM! the end of Sheepshead Bay as we know it.

guest

I want my fireworks and I want them to be GIGANTIC and I want them crackling all July long.

mocanlagunas

There were some morons lighting roman candles a couple of days ago in front of my building... with traffic... this was in Inwood, late at night, near the park... assholes...

guest

I grew up in Sheepshead Bay in the 70s and 80s. It was a fireworks festival every summer from mid-June to around July 5th. We never went to see the Macy's display because all we had to do was look out our window and the whole neighborhood was lit up like a Christmas tree.