Amphetamine network exposed in Turku – 320 kilograms of drugs brought into Finland
South-Western Finland Police has uncovered a criminal organisation suspected of bringing approximately 320 kilograms of amphetamine into Finland. The investigation began with the seizure of five kilograms in Turku in May.
Five-kilogram seizure leads to 320-kilogram amphetamine case
South-Western Finland Police has uncovered an extensive criminal organisation suspected of bringing approximately 320 kilograms of amphetamine into Finland. According to Ilta-Sanomat, the investigation was launched in early May in Turku when police seized about five kilograms of amphetamine and arrested two individuals.
Investigation leader, Detective Superintendent Jussi Gustafsson from South-Western Finland Police, explains that a local so-called superior arrested had recruited the detainees for a fee to collect drugs from Hyvinkää.
87 kilograms from garage, ten kilograms from boat
The preliminary investigation also revealed the locations of larger consignments. Approximately 87 kilograms of amphetamine were seized from a garage in Hyvinkää, and about ten kilograms were found in a boat in Sipoo in early June. In total, police managed to seize approximately one hundred kilograms.
– From the final 165-kilogram consignment, police seized approximately 87 kilograms of amphetamine from a garage in Hyvinkää. The man managed to distribute over 230 kilograms of the 320-kilogram total, Gustafsson says.
In addition to the drugs found in the boat, police seized approximately 48,000 euros in cash from an apartment of one of the suspects. The money is suspected to be criminal proceeds from drug sales, and two individuals are suspected of aggravated money laundering.
Machine guns as means of payment
The detained drug couriers and their superior are suspected of committing, in addition to aggravated drug offences, serious firearms offences.
– The drug couriers are suspected of transporting several machine guns to Hyvinkää as payment to the same forest cache from which drugs were collected, Gustafsson says.
Machine guns, some of which were capable of firing in automatic mode, were seized from a warehouse controlled by the superior. The criminal organisation also acquired a boat in April, which was used as a so-called "postbox" for drug distribution.
Professionally run organisation
The main suspect was found to have received amphetamine in three consignments: first approximately 97 kilograms in Helsinki, then just over 60 kilograms in May from a warehouse property in Mäntsälä, and finally approximately 165 kilograms from the same location later in May.
According to police assessment, the organisation was run professionally. Members communicated anonymously via applications installed on mobile phones. The leadership connected those who received and distributed drugs and buyers to each other.
South-Western Finland Police has conducted the preliminary investigation in cooperation with East-Uusimaa Police and the Central Criminal Police. Further investigation relating to the Mäntsälä property is the responsibility of the Central Criminal Police.
– At this stage we are not disclosing investigation details in more detail, says investigation leader, Detective Superintendent Marko Heinonen from the Central Criminal Police.
Trial at District Court
The deadline for pressing charges was 30 September, and the matter is being heard at the District Court of South-Western Finland. The overall case has involved eight remanded prisoners in total, of whom four are still awaiting trial of the criminal case whilst in remand custody.
Source: Ilta-Sanomat