In late summer, the police began to investigate a large drug ring. Jere Karalahti soon ended up in pretrial detention.
Jere Karalahti is currently in pretrial detention. Pete Anikari
In late summer, the Helsinki police began investigating a large drug ring in which one of the suspects is ex-hockey player Jere Karalahti, 50.
The suspected crimes have taken place during the current year. There are twenty suspects.
– More are still in prison, says the head of the investigation Markku Juurikkamäki.
One of the prisoners is Karalahti. The police suspect the man of a serious drug crime that took place in Helsinki between June 1 and September 29.
According to information from Iltalehti, narcotics were found in Karalahti’s freezer. However, the issue is not the focus of the criminal investigation itself. It was also reported earlier MTV.
So far, the police have been very tight-lipped about the contents of the crime scene. Juurikkamäki does not comment on, for example, the quality or quantity of drugs. He has said that it is not about doping substances.
According to the head of the investigation, “many” of the suspects are Finns, but he does not comment on how much foreign crime is involved.
– In one way or another, these are always connected to organized crime.
Juurikkamäki estimates that the investigation will be completed by mid-December. After this, the case is transferred to the prosecutor for consideration of charges. The charge, at least for Karalahti, must be filed by January 15.
Karalahti has demanded numerous times to be released from pretrial detention. Neither the district court nor the court of appeals has softened the demand.
Juurikkamäki says that on a general level, suspects in drug-related crimes often want to be kept in prison until the trial because of the so-called risk of confusion.
Judgments in the background
Jere Karalahti managed to participate in the F2F Event match just before the police caught him. Atte Kajova
The drug ring under investigation is not the first time that Karalahti is suspected of being involved in drugs.
Back in the spring of this year, Karalahti recounted his years full of hockey and drugs in an interview with Iltalehti.
The former ice hockey player has been convicted of drug offenses years ago. He has received sentences for drug trafficking in 2008 and 1997. Karalahti has said at one time that he had substance abuse problems, especially in the early 2000s.
Jere Karalahti’s suspected drug crimes have already been in the news decades ago. In 2008, Iltalehti reported that the man could face even years in prison. il archive
In 2008, the man received two different drug convictions. The second was about a situation that caused an uproar, in which Karalahti was photographed blowing drugs up his nose. Karalahti received a fine for the crime of drug use. Fines followed for Karalahti.
Around the same time, the Espoo District Court tried more serious drug charges. Vyyhti joined the drug dealings of the motorcycle gang Bandidos. According to the court, Karalahti financed gang members’ purchases of amphetamines from Estonia. He received a suspended prison sentence of less than two years.