Trial begins for human trafficking case involving Thai berry pickers at Lapland District Court

Today marks the beginning of the first major trial concerning human trafficking involving Thai berry pickers at the Lapland District Court. Vernu Vasunta, the CEO of the berry company Kiantama, and his Thai business partner, Kalyakorn “Durian” Phongpit, face charges for 62 counts of aggravated human trafficking, which both have denied. The court proceedings are expected to be lengthy, lasting from early September until nearly the end of March, with five weeks allocated solely for hearing testimonies from the victims.

Prosecutors allege that the accused lured the Thai berry pickers to Finland, subjecting them to forced labor and inhumane conditions. They are seeking prison sentences of 3 to 4 years for the defendants. During a preliminary hearing held in May, the defense argued that the Thai pickers voluntarily traveled to Finland to access a system designed to assist victims of human trafficking.

In addition to the Kiantama case, a related trial involves the larger berry company Polarica Marjahankinta and its former CEO Jukka Kristo, who is also implicated alongside Phongpit. The trial for these charges is expected to commence next spring. Kristo is also facing charges of aggravated bribery in a separate case under investigation at the Helsinki District Court.

The alleged crimes reportedly occurred throughout 2022 in various regions of Finland. According to prosecutors, many of the pickers accrued debts to the company even before their arrival in Finland.

It is claimed that the pickers were deceived in various ways, such as excessive charges for flights, visas, and food. Additionally, they were provided with substandard living conditions, with a menu that included fish head soup with only one fish head per person.

Alongside prison sentences, the prosecutor is seeking a community fine of at least 100,000 euros against Kiantama Oy and demands the forfeiture of over 230,000 euros in illicit profits. The CEO also faces calls for a business ban and loss of military rank.