Merchant of Death

"It's a very ongoing investigation and it's a continuous investigation. And I can say that 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."

"The victims and the survivors of this case are someone's son, daughter, brother, sister, mother or father. They're all people and they were loved by their family and friends who continue to live without them today."

"We are collaborating with law enforcement agencies on a daily basis globally, from countries all over the world."

"We are aware of a number of websites. One of the challenges that we face are a number of these sites are located in other countries where Canadian law does not apply or Canadian orders necessarily don't apply."

York Region Police Inspector Simon James 

Kenneth Law is seen outside the Mississauga, Ont. pharmacy where a post office box is linked to him. Law has been charged with murder in connection to multiple deaths in Ontario, CBC News

 

According to British police, 232 people have been identified as victims of this man's traffic in a deadly substance that he advertised specifically for people who were contemplating ending their lives. Of the total in the United Kingdom so far identified, 88 died, resulting from the products they had ordered from Canada-based websites linked to the man now in custody in Canada. In the United States, Italy, Australia and New Zealand authorities have also made announcements with respect to their own investigations.

The man, Kenneth Law, is accused of sending lethal substances to people who on receipt of what they ordered took their own lives. He has been charged with 14 counts of second-degree murder in addition to 14 charges of counselling and aiding suicide. All 28 charges levelled against the man relate to the same 14 victims who were aged 15 to 36 and lived and died across Ontario, from Thunder Bay in the north and London, in Ontario's south-west. Several victims were under age 18.

According to police, the 58-year-old Mississauga resident operated a number of websites whose use was to advertise, advise prospective clients, and sell sodium nitrite, along with other related items used for self-harm. These products were shipped out to over 40 countries, in roughly 1,200 packages; 150 within Canada. Authorities are investigating possible links between deaths in their jurisdictions and the activities of Kenneth Law in other regions of Canada and other countries. 

Authorities in New Zealand, France, Ireland, Italy, Germany and Switzerland have all confirmed Law shipped packages to addresses in their respective countries. A number of Canadian police forces outside of Ontario are also reviewing past sudden deaths in light of the investigation of this man's activities. Through his lawyer, Kenneth Law is pleading 'not guilty' to the charges brought against him.

 

A former cook, Law is well aware that sodium nitrite, commonly used as a food preservative, can be lethal in large doses. York Regional Police revealed in August their belief that about 160 packages were  forwarded on order by clients of his website to addresses in Canada. Once a chef at Toronto’s Royal York Hotel as well as being a former engineer, Law states he is not responsible for what people do with his products.

 

He has not yet faced any charges abroad in connection with his online businesses. However, there is evidence an FBI investigation in the U.S. is progressing.