Customs seized 26 kilograms of ecstasy at a private apartment – street market value more than one million euros

In June 2023, Customs carried out a search at an apartment and seized about 52 000 MDMA tablets and three kilograms of hashish. During the preliminary investigation, Customs also uncovered the suspected distribution and sale of tens of thousands of Ksalol tablets and cocaine.

In July 2023, Customs seized almost 52 000 tablets of MDMA, also known as ecstasy, and about three kilograms of hashish in connection with a search at a private apartment in Vantaa. The street value of the seized substance would have exceeded one million euros.

The preliminary investigation into the case has given cause to suspect that the consignment of narcotics originally contained almost 200 000 ecstasy tablets and about seven kilograms of hashish. Furthermore, the criminal suspicion involves the possession and distribution of tens of thousands of Ksalol tablets. During the preliminary investigation, Customs also uncovered an aggravated narcotics offence involving the sale of 70-gram consignment of cocaine.

Highest seizure of ecstasy in years due to the criminal case

– The volume of the seized consignment of narcotics that we uncovered during the preliminary investigation is an indication of the scope of the current illegal market around narcotics in Finland. The criminal suspicion concerns the import, transport, possession, distribution and sale of a consignment of narcotics worth more than four million euros in the street market. Based on the preliminary investigation, the activity has occurred mainly in the Helsinki region, says senior customs officer and investigation leader Tuomas Korhonen.

According to as yet unconfirmed statistics, Customs seized about 76 700 ecstasy tablets during the first three quarters in 2023. It is the largest quantity of ecstasy in six years to have been seized during the corresponding period. The quantity contains the 52 000 tablets that were seized in connection with the criminal investigation.

The preliminary investigation has focused on two aggravated narcotics offences, and there are three criminal suspects. The case was investigated by the Customs Investigation Unit in Tampere. Consideration of charges was the responsibility of the Prosecution District of Southern Finland. Helsinki District Court has processed the case, and will later provide a written decision.