An extensive investigation has been conducted by Finland’s Central Criminal Police as it looks to eradicate money laundering relating to a potential illegal gambling operation in the country.
According to a preliminary investigation, which initially commenced in 2022, it is revealed that several million euros were transacted via the illicit operation and it involved at least three individuals.
All three are suspected of ‘aggravated money laundering’, with one suspect in particular alleged to have been receiving and transmitting funds from illegal gambling activities. The other two suspects handled operations and money trafficking and procured players and brokers bets, respectively.
“This is a quite exceptional criminal investigation in Finland,” said Criminal District Commissioner, Janne Takkunen, who is heading the investigation.
“The topic has been less prominent in the public eye, but this kind of suspected illegal gambling has been a phenomenon in Finland for a long time.
“In this case, the suspect had kept in touch with his clientele on Facebook, among other things, where he had also published related messages and information about prized game round.”
The preliminary investigation found that two non-Finnish nationals had been selling and distributing lottery tickets illegally, against the terms of the country’s Lotteries Act.
This led to the funds being laundered by the aforementioned third member. The authority’s most recent update, posted this month, revealed that the case has been in the prosecution phase since October.
