Canadian faces new charges over alleged global sale of lethal substances

A Canadian national accused of selling lethal substances to assist people across the world with suicide, including in the UK, has been charged with 12 further offences.

Kenneth Law was arrested in Ontario and initially charged with two counts of counselling and aiding suicide after allegedly selling 1,200 packages to 40 countries.

In a press conference on Tuesday, Inspector Simon James of York Police in Canada announced 11 police forces in Ontario were investigating the 57-year-old.

He said Law had allegedly being using the websites to sell the lethal substances since late 2020.

The officer told reporters the new charges relate to the province of Ontario only and each related to a person who had died.

Outside of Canada, the National Crime Agency said it launched its own probe into the deaths of 88 people in the UK who bought products websites selling substances to assist with suicide.

Law is also being investigated by police in the United States, Italy, Australia and New Zealand.

In total, 272 individuals in the UK were identified as having purchased products from the websites in a two-year period up to April 2023.

The NCA said 88 of those people have died.

At the press conference, Inspector James told reporters the force was “regularly in contact with police services from outside of the country”.

Before Tuesday’s extra charges, Law appeared in court in Brampton, Ontario on Friday for a brief bail hearing.

The defendant, of Mississauga, Ontario, is due to appear at the same court on September 8.