Canadian charged with murder for allegedly selling poison to suicidal people

MOSCOW - Kenneth Law, a 57-year-old Canadian man who was allegedly selling poisonous sodium nitrite to suicidal individuals, has been charged with 14 counts of second-degree murder, York Regional Police Inspector Simon James said Tuesday, reported Sputnik.

"Evidence has come in that supports the charge of second-degree murder... I can’t speak to that evidence at this time to preserve the investigation... They are significant charges... It’s clearly a significant charge to be laying this many," the Global News broadcaster quoted James as telling a press conference.

With additional 14 charges, Law now faces a total of 28 charges in the Canadian province of Ontario, the report said.

According to the police, Law has been selling sodium nitrite - a white crystalline substance that can be lethal in excessive amounts - through online websites. His victims in Ontario were both male and female citizens and between the ages of 16 and 36 years old, James said, adding that more than one victim was under the age of 18.

Law was arrested in Canada in May and charged with counselling and aiding suicide through online distribution of lethal substances. He has allegedly sold 1,200 packages with such substances to people in 40 countries over the past two years up to April 2023. Authorities of the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy, Australia and New Zealand have also launched investigations. - BERNAMA-SPUTNIK