Police handout image of the smuggled narcotics disclosed in Helsinki on Wednesday. Photo – Lehtikuva.
A huge quantity of amphetamine worth about EUR 1.2 million was smuggled into the country from The Netherlands early this year.
The police in January seized a consignment of about 60 kilograms of narcotics hidden in scaffolding pipes when it arrived in the country by a van and have already recovered 20 kilograms of amphetamine from it, said Jari Pynnönen, senior investigation officer of the Helsinki Police.
“We do not know the origin of the substance. We know that it was packed in and brought from Holland, but we do not know if it was processed there or if it came from somewhere else,” said Pynnönen.
Photo – Lehtikuva.
According to the police, the amphetamine was smuggled from Holland and passed through Germany, Denmark and Sweden. The haul finally made its way into the country via Tornio.
The police estimate the smuggled amphetamine haul has a street value of EUR 1.2 million.
The preliminary investigation of the smuggling case is expected to be wrapped up in the next few days, after which the police will frame formal charges against the accused.
The police suspect a gang of 11 was involved in the smuggling. Nine of them are already in detention. According to the police, one of the detainees is a ring leader in the Bandindo Gang while another suspect is believed to be a member of the gang.
The police said the amphetamine was meant to be sold on the streets in southern Finland.
