Dozens of Thai berry pickers believed victims of traffickers
Summary
Date Reported: 13 Oct 2023
Location: Finland
Companies
Arctic Group - Other Value Chain EntityAffected
Total individuals affected: 30
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( 30 - Thailand , Agriculture/food/beverage/tobacco/fishing: General , Gender not reported )Issues
Forced Labour & Modern Slavery , Human Trafficking , Wage TheftResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Resource Centre
Story containing response: (Find out more)
External link to response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Arctic Group responded to the Resource Centre's request for comment, including saying: [...] The MANAGING DIRECTOR of Arctic Group companies, Janne Naapanki, is suspected of a crime related to the accusations of labour exploitation made by Thai berry pickers... The company unequivocally states that the accusations are unwarranted and hopes that our country's national legal order, legislature, courts, and other law-enforcement authorities will make a fair decision on the matter. Production at Arctic Group's factory continues as normal under a newly elected board of directors assisted by the management team. Production director Tomi Kärnä and business director Sami Hokkanen serve on the board. In addition to the board members, the management team includes development director Ari Korhonen and sales director Timo Friman. Arctic Group hopes that partners understand the situation and its background. We understand the challenge of the overall situation for all parties involved. Consumers and the public have been unaware of the shortcomings of the new berry law. Maybe we now have a chance together to get amendments and corrections to the law, so that we can continue to secure the availability of Finnish forest and garden berries [...]
Source type: News outlet
Police say that dozens of Thai nationals who came to Finland to pick berries for commercial operators were subjected to conditions comparable to forced labour.
It is suspected that the Thai berry pickers were recruited to work in Finland, but after deductions by employers they were without earnings, or even in debt to the company.
There are currently 20–30 individuals thought to be victims.
The incidents allegedly occurred in Päijät-Häme, Kainuu and North Karelia, according to police…
Kortelainen said that there are several suspects, and the matter is still being investigated. Four people have been arrested and are being held. One of them is Janne Naapanki, the CEO of Arctic Group.
Some of the pickers have worked on berry farms in Päijät-Häme, but some also collected wild berries in Kainuu and North Karelia. The Arctic Group is based in Hollola but has operations in different locations around Finland…
The case, which is now under investigation, came to the attention of police in interviews with arriving workers. Possible victims were referred to the human trafficking assistance system and some of them are still in Finland…