The Oulu Police Department informed today that "a woman of foreign origin" is suspected of arranging the sale of sexual services at her massage center in Kajaani.
According to police information, this illegal activity was discovered by the Immigration unit of the Oulu Police Department in October. The police believe that in the establishment run by the suspect, in addition to legal massages, sexual services were sold to clients.
The woman, who acted as 'Madame', would have made a profit through the sale of these services, which were provided by other foreign women in her business premises.
The police remarked that some of the women selling their services at the establishment were only capable to communicate in their mother tongue, and therefore they were "completely dependent on the 'Madame' during their stay in Finland". Investigators also found out that the massage services were advertised on a website designed to facilitate sexual contacts.
Punishable financial gain
The woman is suspected of obtaining financial gain by arranging the sale of sexual services. In Finland this is a basic offence that may be punishable "by a fine or imprisonment of up to three years," police say.
Under Finnish law, the purchase of sex is punishable when the client is aware that there is abuse of a person who suffers sex trafficking. However, selling sex without the mediation of a pimp is not a criminal offense.
The suspect has been detained during the pre-trial investigation. The preliminary investigation has been completed and the case has been sent to the prosecutor for consideration.
