Illegal bullet bombs in car sharing: New Year's Eve sales discovered in Neukölln!

Illegal bullet bombs in car sharing: New Year's Eve sales discovered in Neukölln!

In Berlin-Neukölln on December 31, 2025, the police discovered a large amount of illegal fireworks in a parked car sharing car. These included 35 highly dangerous ball bombs. This ominous discovery came at a time when public awareness of the dangers of illegal fireworks on New Year's Eve has increased. State authorities say bullet bombs are increasingly being used as weapons, causing serious injuries and even deaths in recent years.

The police investigation shows that pyrotechnics were specifically sold from the affected car in the days before New Year's Eve. Passers-by noticed the clearly labeled boxes and packaging lying around the vehicle. During a patrol, the officers became aware of the car-sharing car and could clearly see through the windows that an illegal sale was taking place there. After consulting with the public prosecutor, they opened the vehicle and removed boxes of illegal goods, including extremely loud firecrackers and prohibited fireworks. This type of pyrotechnics is only approved for professional fireworks displays and poses a significant risk to the public, especially if handled improperly.

Political responses to the dangers of fireworks

The tenant of the car sharing car, a 20-year-old, was quickly identified by the police. She stated that her car sharing account was hacked and used without authorization. However, during a search of her apartment, officers found no evidence of fireworks trafficking, supporting the hypothesis of a hack. The sale of the pyrotechnics is said to have been organized from a second vehicle that has not yet been identified.

In recent years, ball bombs have increasingly made headlines in connection with New Year's Eve celebrations in Germany. This year, several people have already died, including a young man from East Westphalia who was fatally injured by a bullet bomb. The case shows the fatal consequences that improper handling of these dangerous fireworks can have. According to ZDF, sales of such fireworks items have increased sharply via social media and platforms such as TikTok. This is particularly alarming because many of these products are only approved for professionals and buyers require proof of expertise to purchase them legally.

Public safety and demands for regulatory changes

The Berlin police and various environmental associations are calling for stricter action against the illegal sale of pyrotechnics. There are repeated reports of damage to houses and vehicles caused by ball bombs that were not detonated properly. These dangerous fireworks are increasingly being used as weapons in other countries, increasing the urgency to tighten controls.

Experts warn that legalization and access to dangerous pyrotechnics by amateurs pose serious threats to public safety. Criminologist Robin Hofmann's urgent warnings about the increase in such criminal activities in Germany indicate that a comprehensive ban on firecrackers is under discussion. At the moment, however, there is no clear majority among the interior ministers in favor of such far-reaching measures.

The events in Berlin could serve as a wake-up call for the urgently needed regulation and control of the sale and use of fireworks in Germany. Given the tragic incidents and public awareness, it is high time to consider safer alternatives and make access to dangerous pyrotechnics much more difficult.