Jari Aarnio
Jari Aarnio | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 5, 1957 |
| Nationality | Finnish |
| Known for | Former chief of Helsinki's anti-narcotics police |
Jari Seppo Aarnio (born 5 September 1957) is a former chief of the Helsinki anti-narcotics police unit and has been convicted of serious crimes. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison for offenses related to narcotics.
Aarnio dedicated three decades to the anti-drug division. Raised in the Maunula district of Helsinki, he began his law enforcement career in 1979. In 1986, he led the probe into "drug baron" Miika Kortekallio, who was subsequently imprisoned; Aarnio’s academic thesis focused on this investigation. He earned the title "Policeman of the Year" in 1987.
Charges of drug trafficking and corruption
During 2011–2012, Aarnio exploited his official role by aiding a criminal group in smuggling and distributing approximately 800 kg of hashish within Finland. He intimidated suspects and sought to falsely implicate an innocent individual as the head of the drug operation. Leveraging his authority, he attempted to deceive fellow officers and hide incriminating evidence.
In September 2016, he received a three-year sentence for corruption linked to the security firm "Trevoc," whose equipment was utilized by the Helsinki Police Department, Finnish Customs, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the Foreign Ministry. The court determined that Aarnio held undisclosed financial interests in Trevoc and manipulated procurement processes. This arrangement also involved the leader of "United Brotherhood," a Finnish organized crime group.
In December 2016, a ten-year prison term was imposed on Aarnio for narcotics offenses, bringing his total sentence to 13 years when combined with the Trevoc case. As a first-time offender, he was required to serve half of this term, with two years already credited, leaving approximately 4.5 years remaining.
He appealed his convictions in 2017; however, both the Court of Appeal affirmed the verdict and the Supreme Court of Finland later rejected his final appeal.
Murder accusation
In July 2018, Aarnio faced charges of murder due to allegedly neglecting to prevent a homicide he was aware of in 2003. By December 2020, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for the killing of Volkan Ünsal, though this verdict was overturned on appeal in February 2022.
The Deputy Prosecutor General filed an appeal to the Supreme Court in March 2022, highlighting absence of precedent. Prosecutors contended that Aarnio had foreknowledge of the murder plot and, as a law enforcement officer, bore responsibility to intervene.
Parole and release
Following the reversal of his murder conviction, Aarnio was freed under supervised parole conditions. His parole period concluded in June 2022.