Berlin police find six kilograms of explosives in Neukölln flat, arrest man, 24
Investigators seized illegal fireworks and homemade explosive devices during a search. Police and prosecutors are investigating on suspicion of violations of the Explosives Act.
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Berlin police have seized about six kilograms of explosives from a flat in the Neukölln district and provisionally arrested a 24-year-old suspect, police and prosecutors said in a joint statement on Friday. Officers searched the flat earlier this week under a court order on suspicion of violations of the Explosives Act.
According to the authorities, they found pyrotechnic items and so-called homemade explosives, which are often made from freely available chemicals. The net explosive mass was about six kilograms. Investigators also seized three mobile phones, a knuckle duster and a knife with a knuckle-duster grip. Experts from the State Criminal Police Office's forensic institute took charge of the homemade devices.
The authorities gave no information on a possible motive. The suspect is presumed innocent. Police are stepping up action against illegal fireworks ahead of Halloween and New Year's Eve: earlier this week, a teenager was arrested after more than 2,000 pyrotechnic items were found in his flat, according to investigators.