Latvian man declared suspect of mediating nearly a kilogram of cocaine in Estonia

TALLINN - Last Saturday, police in Rapla County caught a 43-year-old male citizen of Latvia as suspect in the mediation of almost a kilogram of cocaine.

Jaan Aas, head of procedure group at the police district of Central Estonia, said that a suspicious parcel found near an abandoned shed not far from the Tallinn-Viljandi road in Rapla County led them to the suspect.

"There was smoke rising from near the shed, which could be seen from the road. This was responded to, and officers who checked the surroundings found a suspicious package containing an unknown substance, which according to a rapid test was cocaine," said Aas.

"As the quantity of the substance indicated that the package was not there by accident, the police remained in the area to see if anyone would come to collect it. On August 26, we arrested a 43-year-old man nearby, whom we now suspect of mediating cocaine. He is a citizen of Latvia, and it is still being clarified whether the confiscated amount of nearly one kilogram of cocaine was intended for the Estonian or Latvian market or elsewhere," the officer added.

Criminal proceedings have been opened under the section of the Penal Code dealing with the handling of a narcotic substance. On Monday, a court took the man into custody at the request of the prosecutor's office.

"With such a large amount of drugs, there is reason to assume that the activity is organized, which is why the prosecutor's office considered it necessary to seek custody for the suspect," said Merje Turjakas, assistant prosecutor at the West District Prosecutor's Office.

The criminal investigation is carried out by the West Prefecture of the Police and Border Guard Board and led by the West District Prosecutor's Office.