Seven men arrested as police step up illegal fireworks crackdown

Seven men have been arrested after police intercepted several consignments of illegal fireworks from Germany over the weekend.

The suspects, aged between 31 and 60, were stopped while transporting 2,600kg of explosives to Arnhem, Heijen and Urk on Saturday.

Police said the fireworks were in the most restricted category, F4, intended for professional use only, which were already illegal before a wider ban on importing and possessing fireworks came into force on August 1.

Only the lightest category, which includes sparklers and Roman candles, will be allowed from this year, following years of campaigning by doctors and emergency services.

Police have said they will adopt a zero tolerance approach to illegal explosives in the run-up to New Year, including monitoring border crossings and checking vehicles that have been used in the past to import fireworks.

Last month a 22-year-old man from Oss was arrested after police seized a consignment of 1,200kg of fireworks in Schaijk, Noord-Brabant, one of the first major hauls since the ban took effect.