Illegal fireworks seizures top 112,000 kilograms, surpassing last year’s total
Dutch authorities have confiscated more illegal fireworks so far in 2025 than in any recent year, with total seizures already reaching 112,223 kilograms, the Public Prosecution Service reported Tuesday. Over the past week alone, police seized 7,433 kilograms. Last year, authorities confiscated 107,281 kilograms, and in 2023, the total was 78,895 kilograms.
The weekly updated “Vuurwerkbarometer” tracks all illegal fireworks confiscated nationwide. Authorities will release final totals for the last week of the year after New Year’s Eve.
One of the latest incidents includes a major discovery in Sint-Michielsgestel, Noord-Brabant, where police found 1,045 kilograms of fireworks, including illegal explosives, in a van parked in a residential neighborhood.
Police warned that storing such large amounts of fireworks is extremely dangerous and reminded the public that Dutch law limits consumer fireworks transport to 25 kilograms per vehicle.
Earlier Monday in Weesp, authorities discovered more than 1,100 kilograms of fireworks inside a house on Papelaan, prompting the evacuation of several dozen homes. Police said the fireworks were stored in the middle of the home, creating a significant risk for the surrounding neighborhood. A 47-year-old man, the resident of the home, was arrested and remains in custody. “Even a small static spark can cause a disastrous explosion,” authorities said.
