Four foreign nationals attempted to illegally cross the border from Finland to Russia near Imatra on Friday.
The Southeast Finland Border Guard detained the group after being alerted to the attempted illegal crossing by a technical surveillance device near the border fence.
The detainees are suspected of state border crimes, among other offences.
During the preliminary investigation, it emerged that the individuals were connected to a suspected human trafficking and procurement case uncovered by the police in the northern city of Oulu the day before.
On Tuesday, two Romanian men born in the 1980s were remanded in custody on suspicion of aggravated human trafficking. A woman in her 20s is also suspected of aiding and abetting aggravated human trafficking. She has been placed under a travel ban.
In addition to human trafficking, they are suspected of pimping three women in Oulu and Helsinki in January.
The case came to authorities’ attention on Thursday, when a foreign woman sought refuge in a shop in central Oulu and asked for help. She told police that she had been forced to sell sex in an Oulu apartment.
That evening, police detained one person during an operation on Rautatienkatu in the city centre. The four others were taken into custody as they tried to leave the country the following morning.
According to the police, all those involved are foreign nationals. An interpreter has been required during interrogations, which is slowing down the investigation, they added.
5.02pm: Updated with remand decisions, other details.
