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Use and seizures of the highly dangerous alpha-PVP narcotic have increased

Publication date 23.7.2025 14.32
Type:News item
Three white bowls with blue, green and white granules.
Samples of alfa-PVP. Source: Forensic laboratory, National Bureau of Investigations

Seizures of the highly dangerous narcotic alpha-PVP (alpha-pyrrolidine valerophenone) have increased significantly in Finland. According to the Forensic Laboratory of the National Bureau of Investigation, more than eight kilograms of alpha-PVP, also known by the street name “peukku” in Finnish, has been seized this year, while the amount was less than 500 grams during the whole of 2020, for example. In 2023, just under five kilograms of alpha-PVP were seized, and in 2024, under six kilograms were seized.

Most seizures have been made in the areas of the Helsinki, Eastern Uusimaa, Häme and Central Finland Police Departments.

Alfa-PVP is the most common new psychoactive narcotic in Finland and it has been used widely for a long period of time as an intoxicant. Its use has increased significantly in the Helsinki metropolitan area since the beginning of 2022 as indicated by the continuous wastewater monitoring by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. Alpha-PVP was classified as a narcotic in Finland at the end of 2013.

The use of alpha-PVP is particularly visible on the streets of the Helsinki metropolitan area, and it has been found to make users more unpredictable and violent. The use of alpha-PVP causes agitation, paranoid psychosis, violent behaviour, confusion and cognitive problems, among other things.

A single dose of alpha-PVP varies from 1 milligram to 25 milligrams, depending on the method of administration. Due to the low single dose, alpha-PVP involves a serious risk of overdose, and the drug is comparable to amphetamine and methamphetamine in terms of its dangerousness and other characteristics.

The police are particularly concerned about the increased use of alpha-PVP

The police have been concerned for a long period of time over the increasing use of narcotics as well as drug, violence, property and other related crimes and the human suffering they cause. The problems caused by narcotics are a complex and multifaceted problem for which there is no unambiguous and easy solution.

“The police are one of the many parties involved in solving substance abuse problems, and the powers and means available to the police focus on the prevention of disturbances and crimes, maintaining security and conducting criminal investigations,” says Chief Superintendent Tuomas Pöyhönen of the National Police Board.

“The efforts of the police have been directed towards preventing narcotics offences and staggering appropriate measures instead of sanctions. We refer drug users to substance abuse treatment instead of just imposing a fine on them.”

Alfa-PVP is already being manufactured in Finland

Alongside preventive measures, the police focus on criminal investigations that uncover crimes and on intelligence gathering on narcotics offences. 

“The narcotics market is difficult to investigate and detect, and the market follows the law of supply and demand; in other words, any drug that has a certain demand is the one that is produced, and on the other hand, an increase in the supply of a certain substance also guides the users’ choices.”

“Criminals bring to the market drugs that are in demand and give a good financial return,” says Tuomas Pöyhönen.
In addition to prevention of criminal offences, the National Police Board has directed the activities of the police units towards detecting efforts. Police units uncover sellers, distributors, manufacturers and importers of highly dangerous drugs online and in the real world, thus aiming to curb supply and increase the risk of being caught throughout the chain.

In recent years, the police have uncovered international criminal networks operating in Finland. These have manufactured alpha-PVP and other alpha drugs in their laboratories abroad, and then smuggled the drugs for further distribution in Finland. According to the observations made by the police, the distribution network of alpha-PVP has been arranged in a very professional manner so that each person involved has a predetermined task. Some members of the criminal network serve as distributors of the substance, others collect money and some are responsible for the practical arrangements required by the operations, such as the reception, transport, storage and guarding of the material smuggled into the country. 

“The police are investigating a few cases where alpha-PVP has been manufactured here in Finland or where preparations for the manufacture of the drug in Finland have been made. In these cases, the substances necessary for the manufacture of alpha-PVP have been procured and ordered from outside Finland.”

Why has the use of Alpha-PVP increased? 

“There are certainly many reasons why the use of alpha-PVP has become more common, but one of the main reasons is that it is suitable for parallel use with amphetamine, or it replaces amphetamine altogether. Amphetamine has been the most commonly-used narcotic among drug abusers in Finland, and now alpha-PVP has emerged alongside it,” Tuomas Pöyhönen says.

Another key reason for the increased use of alpha-PVP is that the substance is used in many different ways. Alpha-PVP can be used by smoking, vaporising and inhaling, injecting intravenously, sniffing, absorbing into the oral mucosa and ingesting. 

“In addition, it can be used by ‘vaping’, in other words with an e-cigarette. This method of use is particularly worrying. It may attract new users and new experiments. The possibilities of different uses can increase the demand for narcotics and thus their supply, which may also have an impact on the price of narcotics. All of the above-mentioned factors together may increase the use of alpha-PVP and therefore cause problems for the users and the society as a whole,” Tuomas Pöyhönen says.

Users can be unpredictable and violent

From the point of view of police duties, the increase in the use of alpha-PVP brings with it an increase in ancillary crime, in other words property crime and violent crime, and this creates a need to make preparations for unpredictable violent situations. 

A strong single dose of alpha-PVP has been found to cause unpredictable intensely violent behaviour in most users, along with severe confusion, loudness, agitation, hallucinations, paranoia and psychosis. 

“These unpredictable adverse effects create a particular occupational safety risk for the police, emergency medical services, medical personnel, security guards and other relevant parties, not forgetting citizens or the people close to the drug user who come into contact with a person who has used alpha-PVP and is under its influence in their work, home or leisure time.”

“Because of this safety aspect, it is important to have a public debate about this nasty alpha-PVP and its effects. What kinds of measures can society take to respond to the threat posed by alpha-PVP so that we can prepare for it and take care of each other?,” says Chief Superintendent Tuomas Pöyhönen.

The police intervene in the sale of alpha-PVP on the streets and online

The police have intensified their measures to control the selling of alpha-PVP both on the streets and online. In addition to street surveillance that is visible to citizens, the police actively monitor online drug trafficking in co-operation with other authorities. Surveillance is in particular focused on the dealing and sale of highly dangerous drugs, such as alpha-PVP. 

“The ability of the authorities to intervene in drug trafficking that takes place in encrypted instant messaging applications and to close down dark web marketplaces is a significant factor from the point of view of crime prevention. The police maintain and share situational awareness internally and between authorities in order to intervene in the sale of alpha-PVP in data networks and to uncover drug trafficking organisations,” says Detective Chief Inspector Piia Vuori-Murto of the National Bureau of Investigation.

Alpha-PVP is readily available in Finnish groups selling drugs in instant messaging applications and on dark web marketplaces. Online drug trafficking has significantly increased the supply of alpha-PVP, and its average price has decreased as the drug has become more and more common. Alpha-PVP is being offered for sale in instant messaging applications around the clock, seven days a week. 

In Finland, much of drug trafficking takes place on various online platforms and through the use of instant messaging applications. Even in international comparison, Finland is a leading country in drug trafficking in data networks. Online drug trafficking largely focuses on encrypted instant messaging applications, of which Telegram is still the most popular. There is also trading on dark web marketplaces and social media platforms. 

Drug addiction is a serious health problem that involves a lot of harm for the individual, the individual’s loved ones and society as a whole. Substance abuse services and especially measures to reduce and prevent narcotics use and the disadvantages caused by it should be enhanced. Getting help for those suffering from drug addiction is in the interest of all of us. According to the view of the police, it is very important that the entire chain of referral to treatment works well, this is the primary challenge for all of us.
Pylväskaavio, jossa on kuvattu Alfa-PVP takavarikot grammoina vuodesta 2020 vuoteen 2025. Vuonna 2020 470 grammaa, vuonna 2021 217 grammaa, vuonna 2022 272 grammaa, vuonna 2023 neljä kiloa ja 797 grammaa, vuonna 2024 viisi kiloa ja 920 grammaa sekä tilanne vuonna 2025 kahdeksan kiloa ja 95 grammaa.  Kaaviossa on myös kuvattu viivoilla Alfa-PVP takavarikkojen määrän kehitykset kappaleina ja millilitroina. Vuonna 2020 0 kpl ja 10,9 millilitraa, vuonna 2021 0 kpl ja 40 millilitraa, vuonna 2022 yksi kappale ja 90,4 millilitraa, vuonna 2023 28 kappaletta ja 375,8 millilitraa, vuonna 2024 38 kappaletta ja 318,3 millilitraa sekä tilanne vuonna 2025 kolme kappaletta ja 588,33 millilitraa. Viivakaaviossa on myös näytteiden ja rikosilmoitusten lukumäärät. Vuonna 2020 28 näytettä ja 37 rikosilmoitusta, vuonna 2021 46 näytettä ja 23 rikosilmoitusta, vuonna 2022 104 näytettä ja 53 rikosilmoitusta, vuonna 2023 332 näytettä ja 118 rikosilmoitusta, vuonna 2024 561 näytettä ja 239 rikosilmoitusta sekä tilanne vuonna 2025 531 näytettä ja 199 rikosilmoitusta.
Alpha-PVP seizures in Finland 2020-2025. Source: National Bureau of Investigation.

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