Police raid Arnhem gay sauna during BDSM event, only erectile pills seized
Police and the Dutch Fiscal Intelligence and Investigation Service (Fiod) conducted a sudden raid Friday evening at the gay sauna SteamWorks in Arnhem’s city center, disrupting a BDSM-themed event. No arrests were reported, and the owner said the search yielded only a small number of prescription erectile pills.
SteamWorks owner Arold Dingemans described the scene around 10:30 p.m., shortly after the authorities entered the Roermondsplein venue. “They are still walking around. There’s not much going on. They are all very calm and friendly,” he told De Gelderlander, emphasizing that the event’s guests initially believed the police presence was part of the show.
The raid comes just weeks before Dingemans is scheduled to close SteamWorks on January 2 after nearly 20 years in business. He announced the closure in late October for health reasons. That same month, De Gelderlander reported that a former employee had publicly accused the sauna of various misdeeds, including financial irregularities and alleged Fiod involvement.
Dingemans denied all claims. “I sincerely believe nothing is wrong here,” he said at the time, a statement he reiterated Friday. “There is nothing to be found here.”
According to Dingemans, authorities seized only “two handfuls of erectile pills” during the raid and checked whether any guests were in possession of drugs. He noted that the sauna’s financial records were not examined.
Guests attending the BDSM-themed party were reportedly surprised by the police arrival. “Everyone initially thought I had hired them as an act,” Dingemans told the newspaper.
