An American tradition: Every summer East Bay cops go undercover for fireworks

OAKLAND Before July th each year undercover police officers take to the streets and the internet in search of firework sellers This year had them on Instagram talking with Pyro moe or answering Craigslist ads with pictures of large pyrotechnic launchers It even brought them to an Alameda warehouse where they d allegedly seen pictures depicting pounds of fireworks at a store called Hyphy Mini Mart where an undercover officer allegedly bought marijuana and arranged a fireworks deal court records show Felony charges have followed In San Leandro a -year-old man was charged with selling fireworks out of his car s trunk In Oakland a -year-old man was charged with possessing and manufacturing assault weapons after police raided his home during an online fireworks assessment In Livermore an -year-old man was charged with possessing pounds of fireworks in his bedroom following an undercover probe court records show Hyphy Mini Mart meanwhile was raided but police didn t assessment finding fireworks Instead they determined packs of cannabis flavored tobacco and an assault pistol according to court records They also cleaned from the store s cash register during the raid California law allows for safe and sane fireworks but not those deemed dangerous including devices that launch fireworks into the air despite the fact that these items are legal in other parts of the country This year Californians celebrated July th on the heels of a tragic explosion in the Bay Area-adjacent society of Esparto where seven people were killed when an allegedly unpermitted fireworks warehouse blew up The law enforcement operations are done alongside pubic campaigns to dissuade people from shooting off their own fireworks But each year s efforts hardly seem to make a dent every July th the skies of the East Bay light up with colorful blasts all night despite it all