Finnish authorities investigate multiple cases of illegal Russian plywood imports

Finnish customs and food safety officials are conducting several preliminary investigations into the illegal import of Russian birch plywood, Yle reports. The wood products, banned under EU sanctions following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, are suspected to have entered Finland in significant quantities through circumvented trade routes.

Authorities launched the probes after receiving tip-offs and conducting their own inquiries. Shingo Masuda, a senior specialist at the Finnish Food Authority, confirmed that reports had been filed with customs police and local law enforcement for further investigation but declined to provide specifics.

The illegal plywood trade has adapted swiftly to evade sanctions, with routes shifting as enforcement tightens. Initially, Turkey served as a key transit hub, but attention from regulators prompted smugglers to reroute shipments through Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. More recently, China has emerged as a primary entry point, with civil society reports estimating hundreds of millions of euros’ worth of imports passing through the country.

Masuda noted that China imposed substantial anti-dumping duties on hardwood plywood in late 2025, forcing traders to seek new channels yet again. “Demand for high-quality Russian birch plywood remains so strong that unscrupulous actors keep finding ways to bypass restrictions,” he said. “Finnish authorities are working continuously to address the issue.”

The investigation follows a recent Yle MOT report using isotopic testing to trace the origins of wood products sold in Finnish stores.