Ruisrock festival sees dozens of drug offenses and alcohol fines over weekend
Police in Southwest Finland reported a busy weekend at the Ruisrock music festival in Ruissalo, with authorities recording dozens of drug-related offenses and issuing numerous fines for alcohol possession and e-cigarette use. While the overall atmosphere remained largely peaceful, law enforcement highlighted a rise in narcotics use and disruptive behavior, particularly on Saturday.
Drug offenses and confiscations
Over the course of Friday and Saturday, police documented a total of 29 narcotics use offenses, either on the festival grounds or in the surrounding area. Iltalehti reports that the confiscated substances included amphetamine, marijuana, ketamine, cocaine, and prescription medications classified as narcotics. Ilta-Sanomat specifies that 14 of these offenses occurred on Friday, while 15 were recorded on Saturday.
In addition to drug-related incidents, authorities issued dozens of fines for e-cigarette use. Ilta-Sanomat states that 38 such fines were given on Friday and 40 on Saturday, while Iltalehti notes that the total number of e-cigarette fines over the weekend reached "dozens."
Alcohol possession and disruptive behavior
Minors were also subject to enforcement actions, with police issuing 44 fines for alcohol possession to individuals under the age of 18. Iltalehti details that 12 of these fines were handed out on Friday, while 32 were issued on Saturday. Additionally, one minor received a fine for insubordination on Friday.
Authorities removed 43 individuals from the festival area over the two days, primarily due to intoxication and disruptive behavior (Ilta-Sanomat). Despite these incidents, police noted a positive trend: no assaults or sexual offenses were reported, marking an improvement compared to previous years.
Water traffic monitoring and additional incidents
The police and Border Guard conducted intensified monitoring of water traffic near Ruissalo, inspecting a total of 59 boats over the weekend. Iltalehti reports that one boat was stopped north of the festival area, where three individuals were found in possession of cocaine. The passengers were taken into custody, and the case is being investigated as a serious narcotics offense.
Additionally, two boaters were caught operating vessels while intoxicated, and five others received fines for speeding or missing mandatory safety equipment.
Weather and festival atmosphere
Both Iltalehti and Ilta-Sanomat highlight that varying weather conditions influenced the weekend’s events. Police described Saturday’s atmosphere as "wilder" than Friday’s, though the overall situation remained under control.
