Police in eastern Finland have completed a preliminary probe into what investigating officers have called the largest case of suspected poaching in Finnish legal history.
Poaching is the illegal hunting or catching of animals or fish in contravention of official protection laws.
At a press conference on Tuesday morning, police said there are a total of 34 suspects in the case, with the crimes believed to have taken place over several years. Most of the suspects are from the North Savo region, police said.
The suspected crimes under investigation include aggravated hunting offences and aggravated concealing of poached game.
Police suspect the poachers killed at least one wolverine, six lynx, three wolves — including one wolf called Unna that was being monitored by Finland's natural resources institute — as well as a number of protected bird species including swans and hawks.
Detective Inspector Tiina Borg told the press conference that the range of species believed to have been killed by the poachers is "exceptionally wide".
"The more the poaching was investigated, the more there was to investigate," Borg said.
She added that the suspects said they were motivated by a lack of hunting permits, concern for domestic animals and pets, and general dissatisfaction with how Finnish authorities were managing animal populations.
The preliminary investigation has not however uncovered any evidence that the suspected poachers were motivated by financial gain.
Detective Inspector Harri-Pekka Pohjolainen told journalists that this is the largest poaching case in Finnish history.
He added that the group carefully planned their activities, with police uncovering evidence that the people involved had clear roles and tasks.
"We have been able to identify 34 suspects, but certainly a larger number of people knew about the deeds," Pohjolainen said.
Police have passed the case to prosecutors for consideration on whether to file charges against the suspects.
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