Police discovered nearly 50 powerful explosive fireworks in a basement storage unit under an apartment building in Utrecht’s Overvecht district. The devices contained approximately 10 kilograms of flash powder combined and posed a significant risk to people living nearby. Police arrested the 55-year-old owner of the unit.
The explosives were discovered on Tuesday during a joint inspection by police and the municipality at an apartment building on Tigrisdreef. According to police, the devices were Cobra 20s, a type of “extremely powerful” firework bomb. Officers also found another explosive inside the 55-year-old man’s apartment.
Police seized and safely disposed of all the explosives. The municipality has since closed both the basement storage unit and a garage unit on Muylenborchdreef, where inspectors found nearly 40 nitrous oxide cylinders. No arrests have been made in connection with the gas cylinders. The investigation is ongoing.
The discovery comes after a nationwide ban on consumer fireworks took effect on August 1. The law prohibits consumers from buying, possessing or setting off most fireworks, although small items such as sparklers remain permitted. Professional fireworks displays and certain events organized by approved associations are exempt under specific conditions.
It is the second time in as many days that Overvecht has been in the news. On Wednesday, the area heard gunshots due to an assassination attempt on Khalid H., a criminal linked to the large-scale Marengo trial.
