Dutch man's 500 kg fireworks stash found in Germany

Police in the German town of Vreden found 500 kilograms of professional fireworks hidden inside a shed. The authorities believe the stash belongs to a 34-year-old man from the Dutch municipality of Winterswijk, about 10 kilometers across the border.

According to Dutch police, their German counterparts working in the city of Borken made this discovery after receiving a tip from authorities in the Netherlands. The fireworks were being kept in a shed and a sea container on a farm.

Most of the fireworks were of the F2 classification, which are allowed to be sold to consumers most New Year's periods in the Netherlands. A fireworks ban was put in place for the most recent New Year's Eve to proactively prevent fireworks accidents, and relieve some pressure from hospitals battling the coronavirus pandemic.

Heavier fireworks of the F3 and F4 category, the latter being strictly for professional use, were also found at the farm, police said. Police were still trying to determine how much damage the fireworks would have caused in the event of an accident. "Investigations on both sides of the border are ongoing," Dutch police said.

German and Dutch authorities routinely share data in cases connected to the international illegal fireworks trade.