The Fourth of July is going to a little less explosive for one Queens man.
Following an undercover buy, on Wednesday cops busted George Liakas, 26, for illegally dealing fireworks and seized dozens of boxes of fireworks and fireworks-making materials at his Astoria home, said police.
Queens Vice unit members bought $500 worth of fireworks from Liakas on Tuesday evening near Hillside Avenue and Queens Boulevard. At that time, Liakas told the officers that he had “a lot more fireworks” at his house.
The following night, Liakas was arrested as he was approaching his 49th Street home and a search warrant was executed on his residence and vehicle, according to authorities.
The search turned up approximately 50 boxes of assorted fireworks, two boxes of firework making materials, eight canisters of military grade aluminum powder and five pounds of potassium perchlorate. The fireworks have an estimated value of several thousand dollars, said police.
Liakas has been charged with criminal possession of a weapon (explosive) criminal possession of a weapon (incendiary device), reckless endangerment, assault on a police officer, obstructing governmental administration, unlawfully dealing of fireworks, unlawfully possess noxious matter and unlawfully selling noxious material.
According to the NYPD, the Astoria bust was the 48th seizure by various NYPD units in advance of July Fourth. In total, there have been 68 arrests and the seizure of six vehicles either containing or used to transport illegal fireworks into New York City from out of state.
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