Brussels police seized 2,435 items from street vendors on Rue Neuve on Saturday, as part of an operation which caught three illegal vendors
The items seized mainly concerned clothes and toys, which were found in a van by the popular shopping street, the police confirmed on Monday. "This is not part of a larger operation, but rather a targeted action by the police officers active on the Rue Neuve," Ilse van de Keere, a spokesperson for the Brussels-Capital Ixelles police zone, told The Brussels Times.
A total of 835 items of clothing, 1,600 toys and 500 batteries were taken as part of the operation.
The clothes were donated to the OCMW, however, the toys were destroyed. "They were destroyed because they did not meet the EU standards, and were dangerous, especially to small children. Small pieces fell off, and the paint used was also not up to the standards," said Van de Keere.
The three street vendors were operating without any official backing on the Rue Neuve and had their wares displayed in the middle of the street."These activities are not only illegal, but they also annoy the people walking down the shopping street," the police said.
"This stuff often takes up a large part of the public road, so pedestrians have to step on it. It is not the first time we have taken action against this and we will continue to do so in the future," the police added.
Jules Johnston, Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
