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Record Illegal Fireworks Seized as New Year Approaches in the Netherlands

An OM barometer above 112,000 kilos this year strengthens warnings from medics about a rough night for first responders.

Overview

  • Police seized 1,045 kilos of fireworks from a parked van in a residential street in Sint-Michielsgestel and are investigating the cache’s origin.
  • The Openbaar Ministerie’s updated Vuurwerkbarometer logged 7,433 kilos in the past week, pushing 2025 seizures to about 112,223 kilos, exceeding 2024 and 2023.
  • Retailers report heavier last‑day demand and larger orders as buyers stock up ahead of the planned national ‘Veilige jaarwisseling’ ban.
  • The Red Cross cautions that more and more severe injuries are likely and urges first‑aid readiness, while regional services bolster staffing and joint protocols.
  • Authorities are probing multiple serious incidents, including a Den Bosch collision that left a 17‑year‑old boy and a 14‑year‑old girl badly injured with a 19‑year‑old driver arrested, and a series of vehicle fires in Utrecht, Zeist and Dordrecht.