Finland Opens Criminal Probe Into Google Over Muhos Forest Clearing

Finnish police have opened a criminal investigation into Tuike Finland Oy, Google's local subsidiary. According to a statement the police published today, the probe was launched after five complaints related to the Muhos data center project. The Finnish Licensing and Supervisory Authority (LVV) is also backing the investigation.

The company is alleged to have carried out unauthorized forest clearing near Muhos. Google officials had previously apologized publicly for the felling, so executives' main concern is expected to be the scale of any penalty and the remedial steps they may be asked to take.

What the investigation covers

Police say Tuike Finland Oy is under scrutiny on suspicion of violating environmental regulations and causing damage to the environment. Officers are also looking into lesser offenses linked to uncertainty and shortcomings in drainage and water management. The case is therefore not limited to the cutting of trees; how water was handled at the site is part of the inquiry as well.

The unauthorized clearing near Muhos has turned roughly 816 acres of forest into a muddy expanse. Google's earlier apology reinforces the impression that something went wrong in the process. Because the investigation is ongoing, the outcome is not yet known, but public attention is focused on what penalty and corrective measures may follow.

A second site at Otanmäki

The problem does not appear to be confined to Muhos. Google is reported to have cleared around 500 acres of forest near Otanmäki as well, starting work on a data center development there ahead of the usual process. In other words, the company seems to have jumped ahead of the procedure at this site too.

A Google spokesperson said the company will cooperate with the police investigation and will keep focusing on regulatory compliance at its facilities. But the trees are already down, and the statement does nothing to undo the damage. The Finnish government has not yet commented on the matter.

Local backlash and Finland's appeal

Finland is seen as an attractive location for data center developers thanks to its cool climate, affordable energy and government support for AI projects. Sparsely populated regions where projects can be built, and a low tendency toward public protest, add to the appeal for companies.

Data centers were already a contentious issue for local residents, with concerns centering on construction and operating noise, pollution, competition for resources such as electricity and water, and environmental harm. Last week, wolves whose habitat had been destroyed were reported to be approaching villages. Fears that electricity bills could rise by as much as 40 percent are also feeding opposition to the projects. The criminal investigation now gives these disputes a legal dimension.