A Helsinki district court convicted three men for smuggling synthetic drug alpha-PVP from Estonia to Finland. The main organizer received a ten-year prison sentence for multiple serious drug offenses.
The crimes occurred between May 2023 and February 2025. The largest single shipment contained approximately 40,000 doses of the drug known as 'peukku' on the streets.
Primary defendant Tõrzõu Ruslan, 31, received ten years and three months in prison. He was found guilty of six serious drug crimes, possession of forged documents, and a minor firearms offense.
The court determined Ruslan organized the transportation of drugs hidden in passenger cars from Estonia to Finland. He also imported amphetamines and OxyContin tablets alongside alpha-PVP.
Ruslan denied most charges, claiming he only arranged tobacco smuggling. The court rejected this defense based on message exchanges, bank transfers, and phone recordings.
The defendant must forfeit over €94,000 in criminal proceeds to the state. He will also serve a previous suspended sentence since he committed these crimes during his probation period.
Two accomplices received shorter sentences. Andrej Taraskin, 32, got three years for two serious drug crimes. Their Finnish assistant, 27, received ten months for one serious drug offense.
The sentences are not yet final and can be appealed. Finnish courts typically impose strict penalties for international drug trafficking operations.
This case highlights ongoing challenges with synthetic drug smuggling across the Baltic Sea. Authorities continue to monitor cross-border criminal activity between Estonia and Finland.