Finland convicts 27 in major drug trafficking case involving Estonian and Latvian gangs
A Finnish court has sentenced 27 individuals for large-scale drug trafficking, including several Estonian and Latvian citizens. Two masterminds received 13-year prison terms.
The Eastern Uusimaa District Court on Thursday handed down its ruling in an exceptionally large criminal case involving serious drug offenses. The court sentenced most of those convicted to prison terms. Some defendants were also found guilty of violent crimes, large-scale money laundering, smuggling and firearms offenses. Only a handful of those convicted are Finnish citizens, while most are from Estonia and Latvia.
According to the ruling, an organized criminal group smuggled drugs from Estonia and Latvia into Finland between March 2023 and October 2025. The narcotics were hidden in cars transported to Finland by ferry. Trucks were also used to transport the drugs. The vehicles were taken to a garage in Tuusula where the drug shipments were unloaded and then distributed mainly to apartments in Espoo. Drugs were also hidden in warehouses and in concealed outdoor caches set up in forests across Uusimaa.
The two longest prison sentences, 13 years each, were handed down to two men who, according to the court, played key roles in importing and distributing the drugs. The quantities of drugs imported into and distributed in Finland were substantial. According to the police investigation, around 600 kilograms of various narcotics were smuggled into Finland, including about 200 kilograms of alpha-PVP. Based on street prices, the criminal proceeds are estimated to have reached as much as €40 million.
The court also heard that gang members who broke the rules were punished with violence. One of the men was convicted of assault and aggravated assault, while another was convicted of aggravated assault. The ruling states that one man had his arm broken, while another was beaten with a hammer. The ruling has not yet become final.
