Finnish man sentenced to over six years in prison for large-scale amphetamine purchases despite being scammed

A district court in southeastern Finland has sentenced a 32-year-old Kouvola man to six years and four months in prison for aggravated drug offenses after he attempted to purchase nearly five kilograms of amphetamine in two separate deals—one of which involved no actual drugs.

Kymenlaakson District Court ruled that Timi Thomas Mantere had either acquired or attempted to acquire roughly five kilograms of amphetamine for resale, according to a verdict issued Monday. The first deal, struck in October 2025, involved two kilograms of what Mantere believed to be amphetamine, purchased from an unknown seller in Helsinki. The substance later proved to be a non-controlled substitute.

In January 2026, Mantere successfully obtained around three kilograms of amphetamine in Espoo. Police intercepted him during his return to Kouvola, discovering both the new shipment and the earlier counterfeit batch in his vehicle.

A woman initially suspected as Mantere’s accomplice was cleared of all charges after both defendants testified she had no knowledge of the drugs. The court dismissed her case entirely.

The verdict also addressed whether Mantere’s first failed purchase constituted a punishable attempt. Finnish law treats unsuccessful drug acquisitions as criminal offenses if the seller had both the intent and capability to provide the substance—regardless of whether the buyer received genuine drugs. Since Mantere and the seller had prearranged the deal via messages and calls, the court determined the attempt was valid for prosecution.

Prosecutors had argued the two purchases should be treated as a single continuous offense, but the court ruled them separate due to the three-month gap between transactions. The sentence is not yet final and may be appealed.