Image: Poliisi

Satakunta District Court in southwest Finland has sentenced a 43-year-old man to 10 years in prison for aggravated drug and firearms offences as well as possession of forged materials.

The case turned on a bag containing nearly nine kilograms of amphetamines found in the corridor of a block of flats in the west-coast city of Pori in February this year.

According to the court, there was no doubt about the convicted man’s guilt and no other logical explanation than that the bag had been in his possession and that he had left it in the corridor. The bag contained the man’s belongings and DNA.

The court fined another man after finding him guilty of drug use offences and money laundering.

A third defendant was suspected of aiding and abetting aggravated drug offences, but the charges were dismissed in that case.

Police estimated the street value of the drugs left in the corridor of the building at more than 500,000 euros.

DNA and fingerprints help nab suspects

In May police asked the public for information about the abandoned bag. The prosecutor argued that the suspects’ identities were confirmed by items found in the bag as well as DNA samples and fingerprints.

During a preliminary investigation police questioned four Pori men, two of whom were remanded into custody. Police said that a home search revealed a firearm previously reported stolen, among other items.

Altogether three men were charged in connection with the case. Two were accused of aggravated narcotics offences, with the prosecutor calling for eight- and 10-year prison sentences for them.

The prosecution said that the third man organised storage for the illegal substance in an apartment. He faced a prison sentence of over two years.

According to the charge sheet, the second main suspect had brought the amphetamine to Pori from Merikarvia, about 50km north, and inadvertently left it in a bag in the apartment block corridor.

The defendants all denied the charges against them. The suspect charged with aiding and abetting also denied knowledge of the drugs.