Germany and Holland seize 250 tons of heavy fireworks
Police seized about 250 tons of illegal fireworks after raiding a bunker near the Dutch-German border, Europol said on Tuesday.
The attack, about 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) across the German border from the eastern Dutch city of Enschede, follows a year-long investigation into a Dutch criminal group trading in “dangerous and explosive fireworks”. It has been done, Europol said in a statement.
“The suspects involved in this illegal scheme sought to circumvent strict regulations on the sale of fireworks by hiding behind the front of a legitimate company registered for the sale of licensed fireworks.” said the Hague-based legal body.
“Suspects stored heavy fireworks in unsafe locations and illegally sold these highly dangerous goods to the public, even though such fireworks are prohibited from being sold to the public.” Europol added.
Two suspects have been arrested in the Netherlands, but police have not released details.
Fireworks are a major part of Dutch celebrations on New Year’s Eve, when millions of euros are spent on fireworks and streets across the country resemble virtual battlefields.
However, dozens of people are injured and maimed each year, mostly from illegal fireworks. People are sometimes killed during the annual fireworks frenzy.
A 24-year-old Dutch man died on Saturday after powerful fireworks exploded in his face, and last year a 12-year-old boy died while watching fireworks go off and another was seriously injured.
The Netherlands will ban all high-powered fireworks in 2020, and so far 12 municipalities, including Amsterdam and Rotterdam, have banned fireworks entirely, but many have struggled to enforce the rules. It is said that there is
https://www.expatica.com/nl/general/german-dutch-seize-250-tonnes-of-heavy-fireworks-455944/ Germany and Holland seize 250 tons of heavy fireworks