Finnish Customs officers have seized 60 kilograms of alpha-PVP hidden in forest caches in Sipoonkorpi National Park, marking the largest single seizure of the substance recorded in the country.
The case emerged after two Lithuanian nationals arrived in Finland in January 2026. Authorities tracked their movements to a remote forest area where they remained for several hours, prompting a targeted search operation.
Officers located ten concealed caches during the search.
The packages contained alpha-PVP with an estimated street value of up to €12 million. Officials said the quantity equates to about 2.4 million individual doses.
Riku Partanen, who leads the investigation, said in a statement that the seizure stands as the largest of its kind. “This is an exceptional alpha-PVP seizure. According to our information, this is the largest single batch ever confiscated in Finland,” he said.
The operation involved cooperation with the Eastern Uusimaa Police, who assisted in the field search. Authorities also worked with international partners during the investigation.
Customs data shows a rise in alpha-PVP seizures in recent years. In 2025, officers confiscated 10.6 kilograms of the substance. In earlier years, annual totals remained below half a kilogram.
Partanen said the increase reflects wider trends. “As authorities have anticipated, seizure volumes have been expected to grow. This case indicates increased use of alpha-PVP,” he said.
Investigators believe the drugs entered Finland in large consignments before being divided into smaller quantities for distribution. Officials said early intervention prevented the substances from reaching street markets.
During the pre-trial investigation, authorities uncovered a second phase of the operation linked to December 2025. Suspects are believed to have hidden mephedrone in another forest cache in Salo.
A separate search in March 2026 led to the recovery of about four kilograms of mephedrone. Officials estimated the quantity represented between 20,000 and 40,000 doses, with a street value of about €150,000.
Officers also found several empty hiding places in the same area, suggesting earlier activity involving narcotics storage and retrieval.
Mephedrone has been classified as an illegal drug in Finland since 2011. The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare states that the substance acts as a central nervous system stimulant and belongs to the synthetic cathinone group. Authorities link its effects to those of cocaine, amphetamine, and MDMA.
Investigators said users consume the drug in several ways, including oral ingestion, nasal use, and injection.
Two suspects remain in custody as the investigation nears completion. Authorities plan to transfer the case to prosecutors in Southern Finland after Easter.
Officials said the case reflects organised methods in cross-border drug trafficking. The use of forest caches allowed large quantities to remain concealed until distribution.
Customs officers seized tools linked to the operation, including digging equipment and storage materials, indicating preparation for repeated use of remote hiding sites.
Partanen said authorities continue to focus on early detection. “It is important that authorities intervene before substances reach street-level distribution,” he said.
HT