The Kainuu Border Guard suspects two forestry companies registered in Sotkamo of aggravated facilitation of illegal entry. Photo: Roni Rekomaa / Lehtikuva
- Next Article Sexual offence reports in Helsinki up over 50% since 2023
Two forestry companies registered in Sotkamo are under criminal investigation in Finland for suspected large-scale human trafficking, aggravated extortion, and organising illegal immigration. The investigation, led by the Kainuu Border Guard, centres on the suspected misuse of work-based residence permits and visas issued to nearly 180 foreign nationals.
The suspected crimes occurred in 2024 and 2025. According to the Border Guard, individuals entered Finland through permits linked to the companies under investigation. Not all of them were provided work upon arrival. Several are believed to have left Finland for other parts of Europe shortly after entering.
The investigation began after Finland’s regional administrative authority identified irregularities during an inspection. Additional tips received by the Border Guard and police supported the suspicion of organised criminal activity.
The authorities have confirmed that five individuals are currently in custody on suspicion of aggravated facilitation of illegal entry. The suspects include multiple people linked to the two forestry firms.
The Border Guard has also identified further suspected crimes, including aggravated extortion and human trafficking. Some of those affected were allegedly lured to Finland with misleading information about the nature of the work available. In several cases, the individuals had to pay fees to secure jobs and were later left without employment or sufficient support.
Helsingin Sanomat reported that over 50 Nepalese nationals are believed to have been victims of trafficking linked to the case. According to the newspaper, a Ukrainian man and Nepalese recruiters misled workers about the employment conditions in Finland’s forestry sector. Some workers reportedly paid as much as €3,500 to secure positions and then worked up to 18-hour days under exploitative conditions.
One Nepalese worker interviewed by Helsingin Sanomat said he had never seen a brush saw before arriving in Finland. He was promised a forestry job but found himself in unfamiliar and demanding conditions with no training. He stated that the promised work did not materialise as described and that he faced extreme hours without proper support.
The Ukrainian man in question is reportedly one of the five people now in pre-trial detention. His company, which employed some of the Nepalese workers, operates in Northern Savonia and Kainuu, according to its website.
HT
- Next Article Sexual offence reports in Helsinki up over 50% since 2023
Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
