Crime Prevention

West Finland Coast Guard District investigates offences that fall under the Border Guard’s power of inquiry. Most common offense is drunkenness in waterborne traffic. Other offences include border offence, cases of forgery, fishing and hunting offences and environmental offences.

Coast Guard District also carries out the pre-trial investigation of serious cross-border crimes, such as facilitating illegal border crossings and people smuggling. Pre-trial investigations are carried out by coast guards who have received adequate training. They also take part in serious crime investigation groups lead by the Police.

West Finland Coast Guard District performs the administrative investigation of oil spills in Finnish sea areas. The investigation takes place in the Turku headquarters. A vessel that has been proven to illegaly discharge oil in the Finnish territorial sea or in the Finnish EEZ can be imposed an administrative oil pollution fee. The discharge is not required to be intentional and the person responsible for the payment is the shipowner. The level of the fee is based on the estimated amount of oil spilled and on the size of the vessel, and it also applies to pleasure craft. The lowest possible fee is 4,278 euros.