Probe into child trafficking via Helsinki Airport completed

The Finnish Border Guard has completed the pre-trial investigation into the trafficking of two children through Helsinki Airport, said a press release on Friday.

The pre-trial investigation has found that the female suspect’s objective was to smuggle the children via Finland to Ireland to the children’s guardian.

The woman and the children had used South African passports while travelling but, as far as is known, they are not citizens of that country.

Finnish Border Guard arrested a suspected human trafficker and recovered two children at the Helsinki Airport on April 29.

Border Guards suspected the woman is guilty of arranging illegal entry and suspected of attempting to arrange the illegal entry of two girls, one 7-year-old and the other 14-year-old, to Ireland via Finland.

The woman and the girls had flown to Finland from Russia and they would have taken a connecting flight to Ireland.

The suspect is a Zimbabwean woman who was detained for probable cause during the pre-trial investigation for facilitation of illegal immigration.

The matter has now been submitted to the prosecutor for consideration of charges.

The children are still in the country and the social welfare authorities are responsible for their welfare in Finland.