San Jose burglary investigation uncovers 100 pounds of explosive material
SAN JOSE -- Officers investigating a reported commercial burglary stumbled upon a massive explosives assembly operation and have taken into custody a man allegedly associated with it.
San Jose police said 48-year-old Adam Mirassou has been booked into Santa Clara County jail for felony reckless possession of destructive devices and precursor materials.
On May 8th at approximately 4:17 a.m. patrol officers responded to a report of a commercial burglary in the 1200 block of Old Bayshore Highway.
While conducting a security sweep of the building, they located what appeared to be a destructive device manufacturing operation inside the business.
"While clearing the building, they found several components that were used to make bombs and other destructive devices," said San Jose police spokesman Officer Steve Aponte.
The San José police bomb squad responded to the scene and assisted with the investigation. During the investigation, Mirassou was identified as the primary suspect.
Officers obtained search warrants for the business and the suspect's residence. The suspect was located and arrested at his residence later that day without inciden.
During the search of the suspect's business and residence, officers located over a 100 pounds of precursor explosive making materials, assembly equipment and completed explosives.
"From the evidence we have found, it appears that this manufacturing facility had been in operation for a very long time," Aponte said. "Not just because of the amount of explosives that we recovered but also the precursor compounds."
Aponte told reporters the kind of m-80 type explosive the military uses to simulate artillery during training contains 5 grams of explosive powder. The devices seized in this operation had 10-15 grams.
"This was a very dangerous scenario," Aponte said adding "the motive and circumstances are still under investigation."
Mirassou was being held on $400,000 bail.