Cannabis cultivation charges dismissed in Teuva due to expired statute of limitations

Charges against two men accused of growing dozens of cannabis plants for sale in Teuva, western Finland, have been dismissed after the statute of limitations expired, reports Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

The South Ostrobothnia District Court ruled that while the cultivation met the criteria for a serious drug offence, the five-year limitation period had passed. Prosecutors had initially alleged the operation spanned 2020–2023, but the court found insufficient evidence to prove cultivation continued beyond December 2020.

The men were formally notified of the charges in March 2024. Prosecutors claimed the property contained six grow rooms with 20 plants each, estimating the primary suspect could have cultivated up to 720 plants over 2.5 years. The court, however, determined that elevated electricity consumption alone did not confirm ongoing cannabis production.

Both defendants denied the charges. The ruling is not yet legally binding.

One of the accused was linked to a broader drug network uncovered in Teuva and Lappajärvi, where suspects allegedly grew hundreds of kilograms of cannabis across multiple properties over several years.