Seven men arrested as police step up illegal fireworks crackdown

Seven men, aged between 31 and 60, have been arrested in the Netherlands as authorities intensify their efforts to combat illegal fireworks. Police intercepted consignments of explosives from Germany over the weekend, transporting a total of 2,600kg of F4 fireworks - a category reserved for professional use only. The ban on importing and possessing the most restricted fireworks took effect on August 1, leaving only sparklers and Roman candles permissible.

Police will implement a zero-tolerance policy in the lead-up to New Year's Eve, intensifying monitoring of border crossings and inspecting vehicles previously linked to smuggling. Earlier this month, a 22-year-old man from Oss was apprehended after police seized 1,200kg of fireworks in Schaijk, Noord-Brabant, one of the first significant seizures since the ban came into force.