Customs agents have seized thousands of bottles of ‘poppers’ - a class of alkyl nitrate drugs - and think that tens of thousands more bottles were illegally brought into the country in recent years.
The latest haul, plus the drugs that have already been sold, have an estimated value of €600,000, and were sold in adult entertainment shops and through their online portals.
This class of pharmaceuticals, which have names like ‘Berlin XXX Hardcore’, ‘Jungle Juice’, ‘Man Scent’ and ‘Original Amsterdam Gold’ has been subject to importation controls since 2013.
Customs agents estimate that up to 40,000 bottles of poppers have been brought illegally into Finland since those import controls were put into place.
Alkyl nitrate drugs come in liquid form, and can be used as an intoxicant and to enhance sexual experiences when the strong fumes are inhaled.
Police are focusing their pre-trial investigation on two adult entertainment stores in Helsinki and Turku.
