Finnish court sentences man to over two years in prison for drug trafficking and fleeing police

A 36-year-old man has been sentenced to two years and nine months in prison by the Rovaniemi District Court for serious drug offences, dangerous police chases, and resisting law enforcement, Yle reports.

The man sold drugs in Rovaniemi and Kemijärvi, using platforms like Telegram to distribute cocaine, amphetamines, and cannabis. He also cultivated his own cannabis and sourced drugs from eastern Finland.

In August last year, the man led police on a 100-kilometre chase through Kemijärvi, driving at high speeds, swerving into oncoming traffic, and discarding a bag of drugs. Officers later recovered amphetamines, cannabis, MDMA, and hundreds of prescription drug tablets from him. A second chase occurred in Joensuu, where he attempted to flee officers by driving recklessly in a yard, forcing police to take cover.

The court convicted him of both chases, as well as assaulting an officer during the Joensuu incident. His 33-year-old spouse received a 40-day suspended sentence for money laundering after depositing large sums of cash linked to the drug trade.

Prosecutors had sought convictions for €47,000 in drug sales, but the court dismissed some charges due to insufficient evidence, relying only on proven transactions. Multiple buyers linked to the man were also convicted in the same case.

The ruling can be appealed.