Finland’s Efforts to Combat Organized Crime
Legislation and International Agreements
Finland has implemented various measures to combat organized crime, including legislation and international agreements to combat money laundering. The country’s financial intelligence unit handles over a thousand cases annually and receives tens of thousands of reports about suspicious transactions.
However, concerns have been raised regarding the involvement of Nordic banks, including Finnish banks, in international money laundering scandals. Investigations such as those related to the Panama Papers have questioned the banks’ commitment to ensuring integrity and avoiding involvement in suspicious financial transactions.
Exploitation of Legitimate Businesses
Organized crime groups sometimes exploit legitimate businesses for money laundering purposes, especially in industries such as:
- Construction
- Car retail
- Transport
- Airport maintenance
- Property maintenance
- The nightclub industry
Collaboration with the Private Sector
The private sector actively collaborates with law enforcement, sharing intelligence and developing strategies to combat organized crime. Efforts have also been made to involve the private sector and trade unions in preventing and detecting human trafficking.
Challenges Related to the Grey Economy
Finland faces challenges related to a prevalent grey economy, including:
- Tax and accounting crimes
- Fraud
- Embezzlement
- Employment offenses related to human trafficking for labor exploitation
Support for Victims of Organized Crime
Finland has a robust support system for victims and witnesses, particularly in cases of human trafficking. Efforts have been made to address challenges in detecting different forms of trafficking and to remove barriers that prevent victims from seeking help.
- Legislative amendments have separated assistance provision from the criminal justice process, improving access to support for victims.
- The government, in collaboration with NGOs, provides comprehensive care and funding for victims of human trafficking.
- Finland also has a well-established witness protection programme.
Prevention Strategies
Finland operates an exit programme to support individuals who wish to leave organized crime organizations. Despite these efforts, however, organized crime has continued to grow in scale and sophistication.
In response to the increasing diversity and global nature of organized crime, Finland’s new police strategy prioritizes cooperation between national, regional, and international law enforcement agencies.
Civil Society and Social Protection
Finland is considered a free country with a healthy parliamentary system that upholds political rights and civil liberties. The country holds free and fair elections, has minimal corruption, and respects the freedom of speech, religion, and association.
The judiciary operates independently, and women and ethnic minority groups enjoy equal rights, although instances of harassment, hate speech, and discrimination still occur. Civil society organizations (CSOs) in Finland have a limited role in combatting organized crime, with the primary responsibility falling to the authorities.
Challenges Ahead
Despite efforts to combat organized crime, challenges remain, including:
- The growing sophistication and scale of organized crime groups
- The increasing diversity and global nature of organized crime
- The rise of social media platforms poses challenges, especially when it comes to spreading false information and attempting to discredit journalists.