The German police have located an explosive device in a Christmas market in Potsdam, west of Berlin. Shortly before, the agents had ordered the evacuation of the area after detecting the presence of a package. "The suspicion that there is an explosive device is confirmed," the Brandenburg state police reported on Twitter. Hours later, the authorities deactivated the bomb package. Learn More A man kills 12 people with a truck in Berlin and revives the fear of terrorism in Europe A year ago, a terrorist wrecked a truck one of the Berlin markets and killed 12 people. The attacker, Tunisian with Islamist ties, was gunned down by the Italian police days later in Milan. This year, security at Germany's Christmas posts has been reinforced. The Interior minister of Brandenburg, Karl-Heinz Schroeter, reported that they had found nails inside the suspect metal container, but that they should still determine if there were also explosive substances. ++ EIL ++ Die kontrollierte Entschärfung des Verdächtigen Gegenstandes ist erfolgt! #potsdam #0112pdm — PolizeiBrandenburg_E (@PolizeiBB_E) December 1, 2017 this time, the package with the explosive had been deposited next to a pharmacy near the traditional Christmas market in Potsdam and was discovered Around 14.30, according to police reports. The package contained a metal box and cables. The area was off and the agents asked the neighbors to stay in their homes. Around five o'clock in the afternoon, the Brandenburg police reported that the artifact had been deactivated. The number of police officers and private guards has multiplied in the Christmas markets, which opened last week in Germany. Security has also been reinforced with concrete blocks and other physical elements to prevent heavy vehicles from breaking into the flea market.