Helsinki police's national human trafficking investigation team is investigating a wide pimping case with dozens of victims, all of foreign background, the force said in a statement. Proceeds reached hundreds of thousands of euros, according to Keskisuomalainen and Yle.
The pimping took place mainly in short-term rental apartments across Finland, spreading from Helsinki and the capital region to other large and medium-sized Finnish cities. Police suspect links to international organised crime and believe the acts began in August 2025. Suspects of Asian background were arrested and remanded in custody last week.
Investigators are pursuing aggravated pimping and aggravated money laundering, and are also examining whether human trafficking should be suspected. The preliminary investigation is be completed in March–April 2027.
Helsingin Sanomat reported earlier this week that sexual offences by taxi drivers in Helsinki have multiplied since the taxi law reform, with about 30 district court verdicts over six years, all involving perpetrators of immigrant background. Immigrant-background taxi drivers told the paper they face harassment from drunk female passengers. "If you go to work, you should work and nothing else," said Endalew Bayisa, 40, who drives a FixuTaxi car.
He said a person in a weak state should be helped, not exploited. Enn Gross, 61, said a drunk young woman with no money demanded cash and threatened to tell police he had harassed her. The situation ended, he said, when he claimed the car had recording video surveillance.
Another driver, Valentine, said a passenger asked him into her home and began touching him. He left without being paid.
Metsähallitus has ended full or partial maintenance at 154 rest stops around Finland this year, leaving lean-tos and campfire sites without regular upkeep or firewood. At Jousisalmen laavu in Kuhmo, Markku Aittokoski and his wife brought a large sack of their own firewood for hikers. "Many were sad about the end of maintenance, because these places have become important to people," he said.
Nature Services faces a savings need of about five million euros by 2030, and 60–70 sites are being matched with new maintainers.