The facts
Police are examining drainage and water management at Google subsidiary Tuike Finland's Muhos site for possible Water Act violations and environmental harm. No criminal guilt has been established. [1][2]
Finland's Supervisory Agency ordered environmentally altering preparatory work stopped on 6 October at Muhos and a separate Kajaani-area site. The environmental-impact assessments were unfinished. [1][3]
Yle reported that330 hectares of forest had been cleared at Muhos and 198 hectares at Kajaani. These are site-area figures, not an official final damage valuation. [3]
Google said it would cooperate with investigators and was responding to the regulator. The company had previously maintained that its preparatory work complied with the law. [1][2][3]
Police told Reuters an update was expected in December and the investigation would continue into2027. Restart permissions are a separate decision for the supervisory regulator. [1]
Still unconfirmed
- Whether charges or penalties will follow, the final environmental findings and when work may lawfully restart.
Sources
References support the numbered facts above. Source checks: 30 Oct 2026, 08:54 UTC.
The original police statement was sought but not obtained. The opening of the investigation is corroborated by independently owned Reuters and Guardian reporting; Reuters directly interviewed the lead police official. Yle supplies original local reporting on site areas and regulatory chronology. Allegations and company responses remain attributed, not findings of guilt.
- Finland launches criminal probe into land clearance for Google data centre
Reuters, via CNA · Reporting · 29 Oct 2026
Actual Reuters body and its direct interview with Detective Superintendent Kari Pakanen read. CNA is the host; the underlying reporting owner is Reuters.
- Finland opens criminal investigation into Google clearing forest for datacentre
The Guardian / Jon Henley · Reporting · 29 Oct 2026
Actual relevant original report read. Guardian is independently owned from Reuters and Google; shared police allegations are not independent forensic findings.
- Google's forest clearances and oversight at the Muhos and Kajaani sites
Yle · Reporting
Actual Finnish report's relevant sections read, including area figures, regulator interviews, assessment requirements and Google's response. Yle is Finland's public broadcaster; it is not treated as independent from the Finnish state.