Court rejects gang-related sentence increase in major drug case

Helsinki District Court sentenced nine people to prison terms ranging from three years and eight months to 12 years in a major drug and firearms case, but rejected prosecutors’ request to increase some sentences under a new street gang provision, Yle reported Thursday.

The case, which went to trial in March, involved 14 drug offences and five firearms offences. The court found that large quantities of cocaine and amphetamine had been distributed.

One defendant received a seven-year-and-11-month sentence for seven aggravated drug offences. The court found that the person had distributed 26 kilograms of cocaine and 12 kilograms of amphetamine, and had also taken part in transporting a 20-kilogram drug shipment.

Four other defendants were found to have played central roles in distributing cocaine. They received sentences of 12 years, eight years and 10 months, eight years and nine months, and eight years and six months. Two defendants who stored and distributed drugs on behalf of others in subordinate roles were sentenced to six years and four months, and five years. Another received five years and one month for acquiring and distributing one kilogram of cocaine. A defendant found to have acted as a subordinate courier received three years and eight months.

The sentences were: Abdulameer Aba Alhassan Ali, three years and eight months; Al-Bakaa Hasen Mohamed Habib, eight years and nine months; Al-Bakaa Hussein Mohamed Habib, seven years and 11 months; Autio Niko Kalevi Kristian, six years and four months; Croiyance Dieudonne, eight years and 10 months; Elgbaly Omar Mohamed Aly Tawfik, eight years and six months; Ibrahim Hashim Qasem, 12 years; Kokkonen Lassi Johannes Sabelo, five years; and Mohamed Abdisamad Ahmed, five years and one month.

Prosecutors sought increased sentences for five defendants in nine charges, arguing the crimes were committed as part of a criminal group’s activities. The court said prosecutors had not shown that two of the defendants belonged to such a group. Although it found that three others did, it said there was insufficient evidence that the crimes were committed as part of the group’s activities, with its approval, on its behalf, for its benefit or in its name.

The court said the case involved planned aggravated drug offences committed with the involvement of several people, rather than crimes carried out for or in the name of a street gang. A new sentencing aggravating factor added to Finland’s Criminal Code last year applies to crimes committed as part of a criminal group’s activities. The law defines such a group as an association of at least three people whose activities include offences that endanger public order and safety in public places.