The former head of the Helsinki drug squad faced prosecution demands on Tuesday that he be jailed for up to 13 years on charges including drug-smuggling, obstruction of justice and having sex with a prostitute while on duty and then stealing her money.

Jari Aarnio, arrested in 2013, faced 29 charges of drug dealing and corruption on the first day of his trial. Sixteen others, including five policemen, have also been charged over the operations and all deny any wrong-doing.

Aarnio is suspected of organizing the smuggling of about 900 kilograms (1,000 pounds) of hashish into Finland from the Netherlands, and of preventing police colleagues investigating the case.

According to the prosecutor, Aarnio had an affair with a prostitute involved in a police investigation and then stole money she had entrusted to him for safe-keeping.