Truck with 5,000 KG of illegal fireworks gets flat tire, leads to arrest

Police have arrested a 23-year-old man from Enschede, in the east of the Netherlands, after discovering a “highly explosive load” of about 5,000 kilos of fireworks.

On Tuesday, a road inspector from Rijkwaterstaat (Dutch Public Works and Water Management) noticed a vehicle without lights, and with a flat tire along the A50 near Sint Oedenrode.

The inspector stopped to help the man but attempts to jack up the vehicle were unsuccessful because of the small truck’s heavy load. A towing company arrived but could not lift the vehicle either.

While the Enscheder insisted the truck was only filled with old refrigerators, the inspector was suspicious. When he glanced into the cargo hold, he suspected he saw fireworks.

READ MORE | Dutch cabinet wants ban on fireworks before end of year

The inspector notified the police, who rushed to the scene and charged the driver with the offence. The passenger fled with an excuse to “go get another car.”

Police have confiscated around 30,000 kilos of fireworks so far this year.

Are you surprised by this type of fireworks smuggling? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

Feature Image: Politie Nederland

Brin Andrews
Brin Andrewshttp://brinandrews.com
Brin is an avid ice cream eater from the US, calling Amsterdam home since early 2019. As a lover of mountains, life below sea level has been a bit of an adjustment, but she manages to stay afloat with long runs, wine, and frequent travel. Incidentally, these are a few of her favourite topics to write about.

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