Thai-Finnish couple suspected of running prostitution ring in Finland
A Thai-Finnish couple aged around 60 years old is suspected of running a prostitution ring spanning six cities in Finland operating since 2014.
The Helsinki police department wrapped up its investigation and handed the case over to Western Finland’s prosecutor’s office.
The woman allegedly sub-letted Thai massage shops in the six cities of Joensuu, Kuopio, Mikkeli, Jyvaskyla, Kokkola, and Seinajoki to Thai sex workers, who sold sex services inside business premises, which the two main suspects reaped financial benefits from, reports Scandasia.
While prostitution (the exchange of sexual acts for money) is not a crime in Finland, buying or selling sex services in a public place and operating a brothel or other forms of pimping are illegal. As is buying sex from a victim of human trafficking.
On Friday, the lead investigator in the case said…
“The suspects knew that the premises were being used for the sex trade. We also suspect that they helped some of those involved to list their services on prostitution websites.”
Police did not find evidence that the women were forced or deceived. Many of the sex workers arrived in Finland with partners but turned to sex work when their relationships broke down and their financial situation deteriorated, especially since their lack of language skills prevented them from accessing other kinds of work.
“Such exclusion from society is quite common among Thai sex workers in Finland. The Interior Ministry published a report on their status in Finland 15 years ago. The situation has not improved much since then.”
In October, police arrested the CEO of the berry-picking company “Polarica” in Finland under suspicion of human trafficking after he allegedly deceived 1100 Thais and housed them in poor conditions.
After several complaints, Finnish police suspected that Kristo’s berry pickers were “in a situation of dependency on their employer” and forced to live in subpar housing.
The Finnish court takes human trafficking in the berry-picking industry seriously. In January 2021, Finland’s Supreme Court sentenced a berry farmer from Hankalsami to one year and 10 months in prison for human trafficking.
