Twenty-three people have been arrested in connection with a nationwide police investigation into attempts to steal and blow up cash machines, news agency ANP reports on Monday.

The investigation is part of a special effort to reduce attacks on cash point machines following a sharp rise in cases so far this year.

The arrests were made as police used sniffer dogs to search 35 houses looking for money and explosives. Several guns, cars and a quantity of illegal drugs were seized during the raids.

More arrests

The 23 people are suspected of involvement in at least 50 attempts to ram or blow up cash point machines. More arrests are likely, police said.

Last month, the Dutch banking association said thieves had made 35 attempts to break open cash point machines with explosives or by driving cars at them in the first three months of this year.

This is double the total in the first three months of 2012. And in April this year alone, 20 attacks took place, signalling a further increase.