Police complete major weapons and explosives investigation in Kouvola

Police in southeastern Finland have completed an investigation into a major weapons and explosives case in Kouvola, Yle reports. Searches at a house in Voikkaa lasted several weeks and uncovered nearly 100 guns and a significant quantity of military explosives.

Police and Finnish Defence Forces explosives experts had to destroy some of the ignition devices at the property by detonating them.

Police also searched four other locations in Kouvola, in Koria, central Kouvola and Kuusankoski. They seized more than 5,000 rounds of various types, several guns, gun parts and a small quantity of explosives.

Investigation began with theft report

The investigation started after a man who owned the Voikkaa property reported two stolen guns to police in Kouvola. Observations at the reported scene led police to conduct a search of the property.

Police suspected the property holder, a man born in 1946, of aggravated firearms offences, an explosives offence and endangering safety.

In connection with the other discoveries, police suspected a man born in 1948 and another born in 1973 of several offences, including aggravated theft and firearms offences. The two older men had the same registered home address in central Kouvola during the investigation.

The Voikkaa property owner’s long-time acquaintance had worked for the Finnish Defence Forces as a gunsmith. He had been convicted years earlier in Finland’s largest gun seizure case.

Property had drawn attention earlier

The property at the centre of the investigation had attracted the authorities’ attention years earlier. The city carried out its first inspection of the yard in 2021 after receiving several reports about the poor condition and untidiness of the house and its grounds.

Inspectors found that the house was in poor condition, but they had no information about guns or explosives at the time. The owner avoided a fire inspection after changing his registered address.