A new synthetic drug similar to alpha-PVP emerges in Finland’s street trade

A lesser-known stimulant drug resembling the banned substance alpha-PVP has appeared in Finland’s illicit market, particularly in the Helsinki metropolitan area, Yle reports. The substance, known as N-ethylnorpentedrone (NEP), currently lacks classification as a controlled drug in Finland.

Police in Western Uusimaa seized 3.5 kilograms of NEP in November, linked to an organized Nordic criminal network. If classified as a narcotic, the quantity would exceed the threshold for aggravated drug offenses by 233 times, according to Detective Inspector Tuomas Kuure. However, since NEP is not yet listed as a controlled substance, authorities charged the case under violations of the ban on psychoactive consumer market substances.

NEP has been documented in Europe’s designer drug markets since 2014 and is already classified as a narcotic in Sweden. This year, Finnish police have confiscated nearly one kilogram of NEP, compared to over five kilograms of alpha-PVP.

Annuska Dal Maso, coordinator of the Nopsa rapid drug information network at EHYT, confirms that NEP shares the same harmful effects and high addiction potential as alpha-PVP. While isolated reports of NEP sales have surfaced—primarily in southern and western Finland—the drug has not yet established a foothold in the market.

Dal Maso notes that users often exercise caution with new substances, and distinguishing between NEP and alpha-PVP is nearly impossible without testing. She expects authorities to seek narcotic classification for NEP if its circulation increases, urging faster regulatory responses to emerging synthetic drugs.