Online monitoring by the police reveals the extent of illicit trafficking

The police have continued to monitor illicit trafficking on information networks during early 2025. The results show that online monitoring is needed and that narcotics and arms trafficking takes place across Finland.

Recent years have also seen the police seek to focus their activities and monitoring increasingly on information networks. A good example of this development is the above-mentioned monitoring of illicit trafficking, but besides this, there has been a strong focus on preventive action.

Monitoring results

Based on the monitoring results, it seems that the use of information networks for the distribution of narcotics and arms is not decreasing. In early 2025, the police recorded more than two hundred crime reports during the monitoring period and it seems likely that the monitoring will contribute to detecting hundreds of cybercrimes over just a few months. Although narcotics offences account for most of the cybercrimes detected, the police always catch arms as well. The monitoring operation resulted in the nationwide seizure of more than 7 kg of amphetamines and almost 11 kg of marihuana among other substances. In addition, a total of more than 300 g of cocaine and smaller quantities of other narcotic substances and medicines classified as narcotics, such as Subutex, which is used to treat opioid dependence. Around 1,700 Subutex tablets were seized. As regards firearms, seizures again included handguns, so-called long firearms and cartridges. 

The monitoring operation also again resulted in the confiscation of almost €40,000 in cash. 
“This means that over the past 18 months, the monitoring of illicit trafficking on information networks has succeeded in confiscating around €150,000 in cash from suspected proceeds of crime,” sums up Superintendent Toni Sjöblom at the National Police Board, who considers the monitoring operation to have been a success. 

Over the past 18 months, the quantity of amphetamine seized amounts to around 18 kg and the amount of marijuana to more than 18 kg. Well over a hundred arms have been seized in the same time. 

The use of coercive measures also has an essential element in solving crimes and also a means to find assets to be seized. During the monitoring period, 95 persons were apprehended, of whom 41 were arrested and 22 remanded in custody. A total of more than 350 searches of domiciles, areas and devices were carried out during the period. Only three underage suspects were caught by the police, but there were as many as 20 first-time offenders. The police provided treatment guidance to 11 narcotics users.

Cybercrime is constantly on the rise

Besides illicit trafficking, cybercrime is used to scam people in many ways. 
“The police urge citizens to be alert and to check out information on the scamming on the police website, for example,” Sjöblom reminds the public.