The neighborhood in Vianen where a suspicious package containing explosives was found on Sunday afternoon has been the target of more attacks and incidents in recent years. For example, explosions have previously taken place in the Vijfheerenlanden district and street and a hand grenade was found near a van. Ridouan Taghi’s sister was also arrested in a home raid in December 2019.
Suspicious package
On Sunday around 3 p.m., the Utrecht police reported that a suspicious package had been found on the balcony of a house on Vijfheerenlanden in Vianen. Research by the Defense Explosive Ordnance Disposal Service (EOD) showed that the suspicious package indeed contained explosives. The package has been dismantled by the EOD and secured for further investigation.
House closed
Surrounding homes were evacuated as a precaution and local residents were allowed to return home on Sunday evening. No one has yet been arrested for the package of explosives. It is still unclear what the reason for the package is and who it was intended for. The house where the explosives were found has been closed by order of the municipality of Vijfheerenlanden. That decision was made “to ensure peace and quiet for the neighborhood,” Mayor Sjors Fröhlich reports on X.
It is not the first time that explosives have been found or incidents have taken place in Vijfheerenlanden, a district and street that consists of ten flats and one senior flat.
Hand grenade
In May 2019, an unexploded hand grenade was thrown at a van in a parking lot at Vijfheerenlanden. The occupants of the bus were eating something when they heard a loud bang. The blow was a hand grenade thrown against their van. Miraculously, the grenade did not explode even though the pin had been pulled out. The explosive was thrown by two men dressed in dark and riding away on a scooter. The hand grenade was dismantled by the EOD.
According to the police, it was completely unclear why the grenade was thrown against the van. The occupants had no conflicts and were not residents of Vianen.
Sister Taghi
In December 2019, Ridouan Taghi’s sister was arrested during a home raid in Vijfheerenlanden. That happened shortly after Taghi himself was arrested in Dubai. Heavily armed officers raided the house in Vianen. More of Taghi’s family live in Vianen. According to Sjors Fröhlich, mayor of the municipality of Vijfheerenlanden (which includes Vianen), Taghi’s arrest led to “tensions” in the city at the time.
Explosion
In March 2023, a house on Vijfheerenlanden was damaged by an explosion at night. There were people in the home at the time, but they were not injured. It is unclear why the house was targeted by the explosion.
Drug research
In January 2024, in an ongoing drug investigation, the police arrested four men from Vianen, aged 17, 23, 26 and 31, on suspicion of trafficking in soft and hard drugs. When their homes were searched, more than 75,000 euros were found, as well as several expensive jewelry and a quantity of soft and hard drugs. One of the raids took place at a house on Vijfheerenlanden. More than 60,000 euros was found with one of the suspects. He was then arrested on suspicion of money laundering. In addition, his home on Vijfheerenlanden was searched.
