Two young men convicted for selling alcohol and tobacco products in Lapinlahti, Finland

Two young men have been convicted by the North Savo District Court for selling alcohol, snuff, and e-cigarettes. They were charged with aggravated alcohol offenses, alcohol offenses, tobacco sales offenses, and illegal importation. One of the young men received a conditional prison sentence of five months, alongside probation lasting one year and three months. The other was sentenced to a seven-month conditional prison term.

The individuals, born in 2005 and 2009, had been selling bottles of spirits in Lapinlahti, Outokumpu, Kuopio, and Iisalmi from September to December 2022. At the time of the offenses, one of the young men was under 18 years old. The alcohol was smuggled into the country and sold to minors as well.

In Lapinlahti, it became known among minors that the duo was selling alcohol. They obtained the bottles in bulk and sold them for prices ranging from 15 to 20 euros, primarily from a vehicle. The young men sold approximately 80 bottles of spirits and had 190 bottles in their possession for sale. One of them also sold snuff and e-cigarettes to underage individuals.

Evidence included Telegram messages revealing the extent of their planned alcohol sales, where they advertised drinks with pricing and delivery options across two social media platforms. Witnesses confirmed that many minors in Lapinlahti were aware of the duo’s activities. The youngest individual to purchase alcohol from them was between 12 and 13 years old and required hospitalization after consuming an entire bottle.

Additionally, a third young person was fined for alcohol offenses after possessing 70 bottles of illegally manufactured or imported spirits for sale, which he sold to one of the convicted underage individuals.