"Unprecedented amount" of firearms found in Nieuwegein

The police and Public Prosecutor discovered an "unprecedented amount" of firearms in a warehouse in Nieuwegein last week, the Public Prosecutor announced on Tuesday. The discovery was made last week Wednesday, in an investigation into a group suspected of preparing for one or more "very serious offenses", according to the Prosecutor. In two safes and two storage boxes the police found an arsenal consisting of 60 pistols and revolvers, 9 hand grenades, 36 automatic weapons and large quantities of ammunition. All the weapons and ammunition, along with the storage boxes and a dozen bullet-proof vests were confiscated. The police also arrested eight men from Tiel, Wijk bij Duurstede, Utrecht and Nieuwegein. While searching the suspects homes and garages, the police found and seized various items, including electronics, a kilogram of cocaine, 700 grams of hashish, ecstasy pills and three firearms and ammunition - including a mini-Uzi sub-machine gun and a homemade fragmentation bomb. Seven of the suspects appeared before the magistrate in Amsterdam on Friday. They were remanded into custody for two weeks and are to be kept in isolation - they will only be allowed contact with their lawyers. Chief prosecutor Herman Bolhaar called this one of the biggest arms finds ever on the radio program De Ochtend.