Finnish court hands long prison sentences in major drug trafficking case

A Finnish district court has sentenced three young men to lengthy prison terms for large-scale drug offences, including a minor who was allegedly sent to Finland by a Swedish criminal network, Yle reports.

Helsinki District Court ruled that Melvin Nadir Ahlbäck (born 2007), who travelled from Sweden to Finland, received an 11-year, 8-month prison sentence. His underage accomplice, whose name has not been disclosed, was sentenced to six years in a youth detention facility. The third main defendant, Santtu Aleksi Kajaste (born 2006), was given a 6-year, 7-month prison term.

The case involved the possession and distribution of 33.9 kilograms of amphetamine and 26.6 kilograms of hashish in December 2025. Prosecutors had argued for harsher penalties, claiming the crimes were linked to the organised criminal group Foxtrot, allegedly led by Rawa Majid, known as “Kurdikettu” (Kurdish Fox).

However, the court found insufficient evidence to prove the involvement of the Foxtrot network or its leader. While the defendants’ activities were deemed organised and large-scale, they did not meet the legal definition of an established criminal organisation.

The court noted that the operation demonstrated planning and coordination, justifying the severe sentences for the principal offenders. Two additional defendants received suspended prison terms.