Customs seizes doping substances smuggled to Finland

Finnish Customs seized dozens of different doping substances, including testosterone in various, said an official press release on Thursday.

Six people were suspected of importing the doping substances. The suspects were from Savonlinna, Jyväskylä, Turku, Juva, Valkeakoski and the United States.

The main suspect manufactured, bottled and sold doping substances all over Finland while the other five are suspected of acquiring, selling and supplying doping substances onwards.

Customs has carried out a preliminary investigation of a wide range of doping offences.

The authority investigated the aggravated doping offences actively for about eighteen months.

The suspect is a male aged around 30 from Savonlinna, who manufactured, bottled and sold doping substances all over Finland.

During the preliminary investigation, doping substances of around 450 periods of use were seized.

During the preliminary investigation, Customs seized dozens of different doping substances, including testosterone in various forms – sustanone, trenbolone, nandrolon, stanozolol and drostanolone.

“This is an exceptionally wide range of offences, which took a long time to investigate. The activity was professional and organised. The suspect manufactured, bottled and labelled all the doping substances he sold. The preliminary investigation involved extensive cooperation with foreign authorities,” said Senior Customs Officer Tatu Suvikas, investigator in charge at Customs’ Investigation Unit in Turku.

Customs preliminary investigation showed that the doping substances came from China, from where they were sent as airfreight in several lots via Germany to Finland and from there to different post offices.

The events started to unfold when the main suspect in the case drove his vehicle into a railing in Rauma in February 2023.

In the vehicle, there were doping substances that the suspect tried to hide in the woods. The substances were seized by the authorities at the scene.

Equipment needed to manufacture doping substances was also seized from the person's possession. The two individuals who were in the vehicle were apprehended and detained suspected of an aggravated doping offence, among other things.

The matter will be forwarded to the Prosecution District of Western Finland for consideration of charges.