Prostitution is not illegal in Finland, but human trafficking and procurement are against the law.

Finnish courts are now being forced to take a stand on what exactly qualifies as a sexual act.

The Vaasa District Court recently handed down a guilty verdict in a suit involving the procurement of sexual acts. The court ruled that the defendants' establishment sold sexual acts not involving intercourse in addition to striptease and massages.

The court sentenced the business owners to three months' conditional imprisonment. They also forfeited profits from the illegal activities to the state.

The men who purchased sexual services were not charged in the Vaasa procurement trial.

"We are pleased with the verdict. The more the courts rule on these types of cases, the clearer the guidelines for police become," says Robin Lardot, who is the chief police inspector at the Interior Ministry.

There are some 100 places across the country where sexual acts, but not full-blown sex are for sale. Private striptease rooms are housed in bars, sex shops and in massage parlours.

Lardot says these places, which are staffed by some 500 Finnish, Estonian and Russian women, may now come under police scrutiny on a case-by-case basis.

Last year, police investigated 180 procurement cases. Over the past few years, police have particularly cracked down on Thai massage parlours, which are almost universally fronts for brothels. Some 350 Thai massage parlours operate in Finland.