NVWA is conducting a criminal investigation into cargo bike manufacturer Babboe

NOS News•today, 7:01 PM•Amended today, 7:25 PM

The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has started a criminal investigation into cargo bike manufacturer Babboe. Several cargo bike models have proven to be unsafe and the regulator says it has indications that the manufacturer has withheld relevant matters from inspectors.

A spokesperson for the NVWA confirmed this after a report from RTL News. Former Babboe employees told the news program how they hid broken frames in vans prior to an NVWA inspection.

“The company has undermined our supervision and thus taken major risks with the safety of people,” the NVWA said. The criminal investigation started a few weeks ago.

In February, Babboe was ordered by the NVWA to temporarily stop selling its cargo bikes, because research showed that hundreds of frames have broken in recent years. Babboe allegedly did not properly investigate the causes and took no measures.

The criminal investigation is being conducted by the Intelligence and Investigation Service (IOD) of the NVWA and the Public Prosecution Service, the spokesperson said.