Pirkanmaa District Court on Monday granted police extra time to investigate a suspected illegal dumpsite at a gold mine in the region's municipality of Orivesi.
The dumpsite, located about 85 meters down in the mine, was discovered by authorities in the autumn of 2018. Australian-based firm Dragon Mining took over the mine in 2007.
However, an administrative court case surrounding Dragon Mining's cost liabilities regarding its departure from the mine have caused delays to investigating the underground dump site, according to police.
Pirkanmaa's Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centre) has deemed the site as an illegal landfill. Local police are investigating the case as aggravated environmental damage.
According to news service STT, information about the ongoing investigation released by police has been minimal and have not confirmed the number of individuals under suspicion, for example. Mandatory summonses to appear at Pirkanmaa District Court were sent to the suspects but the individuals did not show up.
The police investigation is still pending, due to the firm's legal delays, a situation which prompted the district court's decision on Monday to extend the probe, which in practice means that the site remains a secured crime scene.
Police want to ensure that authorities are on site when the waste is removed from the mine.
ELY: Dumping began in 1990s
According to the initial descriptions of the dumpsite's contents, the cavity contained discarded oil barrels, used explosives boxes as well as plastic and metal waste.
According to news magazine Suomen Kuvalehti, the company claimed last year that the cost of cleaning the site could reach into millions of euros.
Dumping at the underground site began in the 1990s, when it was owned by the Finnish steel firm Outokumpu, according to the ELY Centre.
However, there have been previous estimates that the mine may never be completely cleaned out. At a depth of 85 meters, the deposit is also partially filled with mud and water, and Dragon Mining has said cleaning it would be dangerous.
Outokumpu operated the mine until 2003 and Dragon Mining began operations in 2007.