Police: Large quantities of OxyContin are distributed in Helsinki | News
Finnish authorities and organizations are trying to prevent the opioid epidemic that has plagued other countries in recent years.
The Helsinki police say that large quantities of addictive opioids have been distributed in the capital region.
The department’s organized crime unit has concluded the preliminary investigation into several serious drug crimes. The study investigated the importation and distribution of thousands of OxyContin brand opioid products in the capital region.
During the unit’s preliminary investigation, the police seized more than 60,000 euros in cash, about 1,000 OxyContin tablets, a kilo of amphetamine and smaller amounts of other drugs.
The researchers found out that OxyContin had been smuggled from Estonia to Finland.
Police said 80 mg tablets of the highly potent drug were being sold for more than €100 each, both online and on the street. In Finnish pharmacies, you can get such tablets with a prescription for 1.10 euros, so the profit margins for the suspects are relatively large, according to the police.
According to the authorities, the suspects managed to sell more than 190,000 euros worth of drugs on the street, while another branch of the operation unloaded tablets for a wholesaler for almost 85,000 euros.
The police said they learned that users had typically ingested drugs by smoking and quickly developed strong addictions to them.
While investigating the case, police contacted oxycodone users who had lost their jobs, spent their savings and sold their possessions because of their addictions. During the preliminary investigation, the police had to make a report to the child welfare authorities because of their parents’ drug use.
Warning about the dangers of drug use, police chief Toni Uusikivi preliminary research showed that people were prone to addiction to opioids regardless of social status, age, gender or criminal history.
An overdose of oxycodone or its use in combination with other central nervous system depressants can cause breathing problems, coma and death, according to the Norwegian Health and Welfare Institute (THL).
North American countries dealing with opioid epidemics have seen a record number of opioid-related deaths over the past several years.
The Finnish police cooperates with THL and other organizations to prevent such an epidemic from breaking out in the country.