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HAMBURG/TODESFELDE – In a major operation targeting the illegal pyrotechnics trade, German federal police have seized 14 tons of fireworks during coordinated raids conducted on Wednesday across the district of Segeberg and the city of Hamburg.
The operation, which involved more than 100 officers, targeted bunker facilities, business premises, and private residences linked to a group of suspects accused of selling pyrotechnic materials without the necessary permits. According to the public prosecutor’s office in Dresden, the investigation uncovered an illicit network operating primarily through online sales.
Illegal Storage in Former Military Bunkers
The investigation led authorities to Todesfelde, where they discovered several bunker facilities being utilized as unauthorized storage sites for the fireworks. Todesfelde Mayor Mathias Warn stated that the site is a former Bundeswehr munitions depot, which has been out of operation since 2014 and is currently under private ownership. While the site previously held permits for pyrotechnic storage, Mayor Warn has publicly called on state authorities to revoke these permissions, citing safety concerns and a prior police search of the facility two years ago related to suspected illegal weapons storage.
The scale of the illicit operation was highlighted by the discovery of approximately 350 kilograms of fireworks stored directly on the cargo bed of a van parked in a residential area of Hamburg.
Investigation and Suspects
Authorities have identified six suspects, all of whom were residing in Hamburg at the time of the raids. The investigation was initiated in mid-June after the primary suspect, a 25-year-old male, was apprehended in Saxony while transporting illegal fireworks across the border from the Czech Republic. The main suspect is currently in custody. The seized 14 tons of material are slated for destruction.
The raids on Wednesday mark a significant escalation in the ongoing efforts by German law enforcement to curb the distribution of unregulated and potentially dangerous pyrotechnic products ahead of the holiday season.
Source: https://www.ndr.de
