A physician from Oulu, northern Finland, is suspected of serious drug offences. Authorities allege that the doctor wrote a large number of unjustified prescriptions for drugs classed as central nervous system agents and narcotics. Police suspect that many of these pharmaceuticals were then peddled onward as street drugs.
Police have carried out a preliminary investigation since last summer and handed the case over to a prosecutor. According to the investigation report, they believe that the doctor knew that the drugs were being sold on to others.
Police have investigated prescriptions written by the doctor between January 2021 and July 2022.
The police suspect that the physician asked others to sell the pharmaceuticals and benefited financially from writing the improper prescriptions.
They also suspect that the doctor acquired narcotics for their own use.
Physician detained during probe
During the probe, law enforcement officials conducted searches of several properties and devices. The doctor was detained during the preliminary investigation.
In addition to the doctor, the police suspect one other person of a serious narcotics crime and several others of offences related to narcotics and pharmaceuticals.
According to the leading daily Helsingin Sanomat, the suspect is a 45-year-old woman whose license to practice medicine has been suspended by the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira).