Prison Sentence Demanded for Trade in Illegal Fireworks

The Public Prosecution Service demands a prison sentence of fifteen months, of which five are conditional, against a 32-year-old man from The Hague suspected of possession and trade in heavy illegal fireworks. Against a co-defendant, a 32-year-old man from The Hague, the PPS demands twelve months imprisonment, of which six are conditional. “The danger is enormous, especially since it was stored in the middle of a residential area,” said the public prosecutor during the hearing.

The police tracked the men from The Hague because one of them offered fireworks on an online platform. This involved Dumbums and shells, which are heavy illegal fireworks. The suspects were tracked down through two undercover purchases and arrested on October 14, 2025.

Storage Unit

The investigation revealed that the 32-year-old man from The Hague was a member of a fireworks group on an online platform. He also possessed a complete price list for illegal fireworks. The investigation led the police to a storage unit at Jacob Catsstraat in The Hague, where a large quantity of illegal fireworks was stored. Besides Dumbums, shells and Roman candles were also found.

“This fireworks was stored in a storage unit with many other items. If an ignition had occurred there, the entire batch would probably have exploded. Then the other items could have caught fire, with all the consequences,” said the public prosecutor.

The 32-year-old suspect from The Hague admits to selling fireworks but denies offering the fireworks. Because he was previously convicted for illegal fireworks, the public prosecutor demands a longer prison sentence against him. He also has to serve two more months due to a previously imposed prison sentence. The 32-year-old co-defendant admits the sale and says he did this “under pressure from above.” The public prosecutor called his explanation about the course of events fanciful. She sees sufficient evidence that he acted together with the co-defendant in illegal fireworks trade from the storage unit.

Action Week

The suspects were arrested during an action week last October. In total, fifteen suspects were arrested. During this action week, the police found among others 210 cobras, 100 shells, 400 butterflies, 3000 DumBums and 50 avalanche rockets.

The Public Prosecution Service takes this moment to warn about the risks involved in transporting, storing and lighting this heavy fireworks. It is well known that this is not only set off for decoration but is also often used for attacks on homes and business premises.

The court will give its verdict in two weeks