Five Dutch men arrested after 20,000 kilos of fireworks are discovered in Germany

The discovery of 20,000 kilos of heavy fireworks in a German bunker earlier this year has led to six arrests in the Netherlands and Germany. Among them are two leading suspects who, police claim, sold large amounts of fireworks from Germany to middlemen in the Netherlands.

Police have said that searches were conducted during early March in Hengelo, Zwolle, and Germany. Four homes, a storage facility in the Netherlands and four storage facilities in Gildehaus and Reken in Germany were searched. Authorities found around 22,000 kilograms of fireworks, including Cobra firecrackers, dumbums and shells.

The Oost-Nederland police force reported that an investigation was launched into the main suspects: a 56-year-old man from Hengelo, Overijssel, and a 65-year-old from Gildehaus.

The men were arrested in August and September. While investigating their buyers, men from Hengelo, 45, Zwolle, 46, Borne, 28, and Markelo, 31, were arrested. Over 500 kilos of fireworks were found during the arrests.