National Police Board Inspector Tarmo Lamminaho won’t forget October 12th, 2015 for as long as he lives. That was the day Finland’s police started their first social media campaign against the grey economy on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. On its opening day, police investigators Anne and Jutta asked the public to tip-off the police if they have encountered an eating establishment in Finland that regularly sold pizzas for fewer than 6 euros.

The two-week campaign exceeded all expectations within the first few hours, but not in the way the police had anticipated. People were irate at being asked by the police in effect to spy on their neighbours. As director of the campaign, Lamminaho got an earful.

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Some people cried racial profiling, as the majority of the pizzeria owners in Finland are immigrants. Others suspected an ulterior motive, as MaRa, the union of restaurant and hospitality businesses in Finland, was found to be linked to the investigation and it was naturally in their interests to crush the low-priced competition from small family-run businesses.

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Even though the contentious campaign produced no convictions, several restaurants are now under investigation for shady financial activities.

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