Canadian man charged for selling 'self-harm' packages to suicidal people

A Canadian man faces charges for allegedly selling sodium nitrite to people at risk of self-harming.

According to reports by The Guardian, it is believed Kenneth Law shipped at least 1,200 packages to 40 countries.

UK police said investigations by the National Crime Agency revealed Law was linked to 88 deaths in Britain. 

The 57-year-old had been previously charged with two counts of counselling or aiding suicide in Ontario and now faces 12 charges in connection with the deaths of people in the province.

The victims are said to be between the ages of 16 and 36.

About 272 people are believed to have purchased the substances to aid self-harm from Canada-based websites operated by Law.

Number of deaths so far:

• four in Toronto;
• three in York region;
• one in Durham region;
• one in London, Ontario;
• one in Thunder Bay;
• one in Waterloo region; and
• one in Peel region.

Law faces 14 charges in Canada where the criminal code punishes anyone who “counsels or abets” a person to die by suicide with a sentence of up to 14 years.

He denied allegations he was selling products to help people die by suicide.

TimesLIVE