The Netherlands is grappling with an escalating illegal fireworks crisis that has evolved from a New Year's Eve nuisance into a year-round public safety threat. Recent incidents, including a football match abandoned due to fireworks bombs, hundreds of kilograms seized in postal packages, and a 14-year-old boy killed in Rotterdam, highlight the dangerous scope of a problem that authorities are struggling to control despite record seizures and an impending national ban.
The Scale of the Problem
Investigators in the Netherlands seized a total of 107,281 kilograms of illegal fireworks over the course of 2024, representing a 36 percent annual increase from the 78,895 kilograms seized in 2023. Yet despite this massive enforcement effort, illegal fireworks continue flooding into the country through sophisticated smuggling networks.
Dutch firework dealers are selling heavy fireworks that are illegal in the Netherlands from Germany on a large scale, with at least seven Dutch dealers in the German border region convicted one or more times in connection with illegal fireworks but continuing to operate their businesses. The problem extends beyond Germany: German customs officers intercepted two Dutch nationals attempting to transport more than 36,000 pieces of illegal fireworks totalling over 540 kilograms from Poland into Germany.
Ajax Stadium Chaos Exposes Football Fireworks Problem
The most visible recent incident occurred when Ajax fans threw fireworks onto the pitch against FC Groningen, causing the game to be abandoned after just six minutes. The reason behind the disruption was particularly disturbing: the fireworks were reportedly thrown to honour a wish of an Ajax hooligan who had passed away.
The people who set off fireworks came in through an emergency exit without tickets, with Ajax general manager Menno Geleen stating "an emergency exit was forced from inside" allowing "a large group to enter without tickets and with a lot of fireworks". The match was eventually completed in an empty stadium, with Ajax closing the F-Side section where hooligans sit for the upcoming crucial Feyenoord match.
The incident demonstrates how illegal fireworks have become weapons in football violence, with sophisticated planning allowing perpetrators to bypass security measures including sniffer dogs and searches.
Deadly Consequences and Serious Injuries
The human cost of illegal fireworks is devastating. A 14-year-old boy was killed by illegal fireworks in Rotterdam during New Year's Eve celebrations, while a 13-year-old boy in Zeeland was left seriously injured after setting off a Cobra 6 firecracker, likely losing his hand as a result. The eye hospital in Rotterdam reported 17 eye injuries with at least one person now blind in one eye, and the youngest victim just nine years old.
These aren't isolated incidents. On New Year's Eve 2024, firework-related incidents resulted in two deaths and over 1,100 individuals requiring emergency medical treatment for injuries including burns and eye damage, with estimated damage costs reaching €16 million.
Photo Credits: Rovenimages/Pexels
Dangerous Postal Deliveries Put Workers at Risk
A particularly alarming trend involves illegal fireworks being shipped through regular postal and parcel services, putting delivery workers and the public at extreme risk. During "Exploweek" in October 2025, police forces across the Netherlands together with the ILT and several postal providers discovered nearly 200 kg of heavy illegal F3/F4-category fireworks in 19 parcels at sorting centers.
The parcels originated primarily from Poland, Czech Republic, and Hungary, countries recognised as major source regions for illegal fireworks. Police even found hundreds of kilograms of illegal fireworks and weapons in a private storage unit located directly beneath the Overtoomsesluis police station in Amsterdam, described as "a life-threatening combination that you don't want anyone near."
Dutch law explicitly prohibits delivering fireworks to home addresses because of the extreme danger to postal workers and distribution centres, yet smugglers continue exploiting these channels.
Fireworks as Weapons in Explosive Attacks
According to police, four out of five explosive attacks in the Netherlands use fireworks, with the number of attacks increasing in the past six months and more than half involving quarrelling citizens with no previous criminal records. While most result in relatively minor damage, serious cases have occurred, including an explosion on Tarwekamp street in The Hague that killed six people.
The fireworks involve heavy firecrackers commonly used in explosive attacks—Cobras and Dumbums, which police chief Tolga Koklu describes as "extremely dangerous," noting that "static electricity alone can set it off, and then the damage is incalculable".
Cross-Border Smuggling Networks
The illegal fireworks trade operates through sophisticated international networks. A Polish organised crime group was suspected to have shipped approximately 1,500 kg of pyrotechnics, including approximately 500 kg of F4 class fireworks, every day to different EU member states. Action days in Poland, the Netherlands and Germany resulted in 35 OCG members arrested in Poland, with 80 tons of F4 fireworks seized from a single warehouse, enough to fill four large shipping containers.
Dutch and German police identify two major problems in tackling this trade: German legislation regarding fireworks is much more lenient than in the Netherlands, and cooperation between the two countries is sometimes less than standard, with Dutch fireworks convictions not actively shared with German authorities.
Government Response: Nationwide Ban and Stricter Enforcement
Facing this escalating crisis, the Dutch Senate passed the "Safe New Year's Eve" bill on July 1, 2025, scheduling a national ban on consumer fireworks to take effect after New Year's Eve 2025-2026. The ban will prohibit categories F2, F3, and F4 fireworks for consumers, allowing only professionals with permits to use them and leaving only low-risk F1 novelty items like sparklers legally available.
The government is drafting a joint guide with the public prosecutor's office and police clarifying that F4 fireworks, if found in the hands of people without specialised permits, can qualify as a weapon under the Weapons and Ammunition Act, providing enforcement options including preventive searches and higher sentences reaching up to eight years in prison.
At the European level, the Netherlands is working with France to combat the international illegal trade and push for stricter EU-wide legislation to make it harder for illegal fireworks to enter the country.
The "Last Hurrah" Problem
The impending ban has created a dangerous dynamic. Fireworks dealers have reported a 25-30% surge in sales as the 2025-2026 New Year is confirmed as the final legal celebration, with municipalities bracing themselves for more fireworks and related problems. Many municipalities expect fireworks enthusiasts to "go all out," which could lead to more reports of nuisance, damage, or dangerous situations.
Police are preparing for what they describe as a "possibly turbulent New Year's Eve," with a spokesperson noting "we've seen increasingly serious incidents against emergency responders in recent years."
Persistent Black Market Concerns
The ban's greatest challenge remains the robust illegal market. With 50.5% of injuries already caused by illegal fireworks before any ban, experts warn of a "waterbed effect" where the legal market is pushed entirely underground. Recidivism among illegal fireworks dealers is almost guaranteed: "these are people who are crazy about fireworks, and they continue after they've been incarcerated," according to a Dutch detective.
The fireworks industry is demanding €895 million in compensation, far exceeding the €100-150 million the government has suggested, while police unions express skepticism about shifting from regulating a 3-day sale window to policing a 365-day-a-year total prohibition against a powerful, cross-border black market.
