A man from Finland was given a sentence of three years and four months by the District Court of Eastern Uusimaa earlier this month.
The case was a historic one for Finland, as it is the first time prosecutors have indicted a website administrator on drug trafficking charges.
The defendant was found guilty and convicted for encouraging the sale and trade of illicit drugs on a site called "Sipulikanava," which he developed and kept up on the dark web.
Darknet Drug Trading Site 'Sipulikanava'
Sipulikanava, which translates to "Onion Channel" in English, operated from 2014 to 2017 on the Tor network.
The site's activity stopped between October and November 2017 following an investigation by local police which led to a search of the defendant's house.
The 45-year-old man denied being involved with illegal drug trading during the preliminary investigation but admitted to developing and managing the website during its lifetime. This is according to the East Uusimaa Prosecutor's Office.
After an eight-day series of hearings, the defendant was convicted and sentenced to 40 months in prison.
Unprecedented Case for Finland
In previous news coverage, one district prosecutor named Anna-Riikka Ruuth claimed this to be the first occasion in Finland that a website admin has been indicted for dealing drugs.
The law is not clear on whether or not aggravated drug charges can be placed on a suspect who simply operates an online drug market, rather than engaging in drug deals directly.
Disclaimer:
The articles and content found on Dark Web News are for general information purposes only and are not intended to solicit illegal activity or constitute legal advice. Using drugs is harmful to your health and can cause serious problems including death and imprisonment, and any treatment should not be undertaken without medical supervision.
