5 Romanians face trial for facilitating sex trade in Finland

Five members of a Romanian pandering organisation are facing trial for their alleged involvement in operating sex trade in Finland for more than two years.

The Helsinki Police Department’s national human trafficking investigation team has completed an investigation into aggravated pandering and the case is scheduled to be heard in the Pirkanmaa District Court in December, said police in a press release on Tuesday.

According to the preliminary investigation, the suspected aggravated pandering took place in between 2023 and 2025, mainly outside the capital region and one of the main locations was Tampere.

The suspects were arrested in August in Turku and Oulu, and two additional suspects were arrested upon their arrival in Helsinki in October.

"The group of Romanian suspects consists of five individuals who are currently in custody and who had distinct roles and responsibilities within the organisation. The preliminary investigation has identified 14 persons involved in prostitution who offered sexual services in exchange for payment. The offenders took their share of the profits," said Senior Detective Superintendent Sami Isoniemi, who is leading the investigation.

In the offence of pandering, it is punishable to obtain financial gain for oneself or another person in connection with sexual intercourse or a comparable sexual act.

The pandering organisation handled travel and accommodation arrangements for the persons exploited, as well as the management of advertisements for sexual services and customer communications.

Based on the preliminary investigation, the total value of sex-service sales over a period of just under two years was nearly one million euros, and the pandering organisation took more than 300,000 euros from the persons involved in prostitution.

In connection with the investigation, the police have seized a considerable amount of money suspected of being the proceeds of crime, as well as three vehicles used as instruments of crime.