Helsingin Sanomat - INBI says beggar phenomenon linked with human trafficking

HELSINGIN SANOMAT INTERNATIONAL EDITION - HOME

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Two court cases have been completed in Romania involving trafficking in humans, with linkages to Finland, says the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). Both series of crimes occurred about two years ago, but the trials were held more recently.

One criminal gang enticed 18 Romanian citizens to Finland, promising agricultural work for a reasonable wage.

The NBI says that the members of the group were forced to work as beggars and street musicians. Some were also coerced into shoplifting.

Violence and threats of violence were employed in the racket, and the earnings were given to the leaders of the group.

Those who were recruited into the scheme stayed in Finland for a few months.

Another group was led by a Romanian citizen living in Finland, who ran a personnel agency. The NBI says that his organisation brought 21 Romanians to Finland where they were put to work in the construction industry for 12 to 14 hours a day for insignificant wages.

The main suspect has fled Finland and a search warrant has been issued for him.

The main suspects on trial in Romania were found guilty and were given sentences of 8-10 years for extended trafficking in humans, the NBI says. Both sets of crimes took place about two years ago, but the trials in Romania are recent.

“The Finnish police reported on the cases to Romania, and Romanian officials took care of the actual investigation”, says detective inspector Ari Karvonen of the NBI.

The NBI says that the cases are examples of how international organised crime operates in Finland.

According to the NBI, domestic organised crime has already infiltrated the structures of society. Karvonen says that organised crime groups in Finland run hundreds of businesses which are used to operate the “grey economy”, and through which criminally earned money is laundered.

“Crime is very mutable. A typical example is that certain criminal groups set up companies to drop snow off roofs and recruited undocumented labour from abroad”, he says.

Karvonen says that criminal groups have taken control of doorman services of restaurants and divided territories among themselves.

NBI chief Rauno Ranta says that there are examples of attempts by organised crime to influence municipal decision-making in matters of building permits and zoning.

Karvonen says that in Lappeenranta, for instance, the Hell’s Angels group sought a change in the urban plan for a construction project of a company under its control.

“Both the NBI and local police took issue with this.”

The National Bureau of Investigation celebrated its 85th anniversary in Helsinki on Tuesday.

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Source: hs.fi