University of Helsinki docent suspected of aggravated drug crime

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A University of Helsinki docent* is suspected of an aggravated drug crime. The senior lecturer is thought to be one of the three principal figures in an international drugs gang that has imported large quantities of ecstasy into Finland. The drugs were kept, among other places, on university premises.
      The case is connected with one of Finland’s largest ecstasy confiscations, carried out by the Helsinki police in April.
     
The police impounded around 23,000 ecstasy tablets from a Russian-Estonian-Finnish gang.
      The street value of the find would have been in the region of EUR 300,000. In all, the authorities suspect that the gang has imported around 35,000 ecstasy pills from Central Europe.
      The police became aware of the league after having succeeded in tracing a briefcase filled with ecstasy pills from a Helsinki shopping mall through dealers to the city of Vantaa.
      Det. Insp. Jarmo Keskitalo refuses to elaborate on the academic’s role in the affair.
     
The University of Helsinki, on the other hand, is so far unaware of the discipline of the docent in question, and at which university department’s premises drugs may have been stashed.
      On Wednesday, University of Helsinki Rector Thomas Wilhelmsson told YLE News that the docent may lose his office, if he is found guilty of an aggravated drug crime.
      Press Relations Manager Terttu Nurro, in turn, emphasised that drug crime suspicions towards a university employee are extremely rare. She also pointed out that “including all the docents there are in excess of 10,000 people working with the institution”.
     
Nine people have been remanded in custody in connection with the ecstasy case. Two more persons have been detained for questioning.
      The suspects are between 22 and 44 years of age and some of them have prior convictions.
      The case has now moved to the consideration of charges phase and the court proceedings are due to commence at the Helsinki District Court on September 17th.
     
* See link below for an explanation of the term, which is not commonly used in British English. "Reader" might be an equivalent position.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Exceptionally potent heroin blamed in two overdose deaths in Helsinki (25.4.2008)
  Study finds more moderation in Finnish attitudes toward illegal drugs (25.3.2008)

Links:
  Docent (Wikipedia)

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