Editor’s note: If you or anyone you know is struggling with mental health there are a number of ways to get help, including by calling Talk Suicide Canada at 1-833-456-4566. A list of local crisis centres is also available here.
Peel police will be joined by investigators from York Regional Police on Tuesday for an update on the ongoing investigation into Kenneth Law, the Mississauga man accused of selling sodium nitrite and other dangerous materials to customers at risk of suicide.
Police have not released any details about what will be discussed at Tuesday’s news conference but confirmed that a York Regional Police inspector will be one of the speakers.
The update comes just days after officials in the United Kingdom confirmed that 272 people had ordered products that could be used for self-harm from Canadian websites, and of those individuals, 88 had died.
In a statement, the National Crime Agency (NCA) in the U.K. said the ongoing police investigation in Canada would not include cases in Britain.
“In consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, the NCA has taken the decision to conduct an investigation into potential criminal offences committed in the U.K. This operation is underway,” read a statement emailed to CP24.com on Friday.
A mother in the U.K., who recently spoke to CTV News Toronto, said her daughter Imogen, a TikTok star known as ‘Deaf Immy,’ is one of the 88 people who British police said died after purchasing products from Canadian websites “to assist with suicide.”
Nunn said it she believes many lives could have been saved if authorities had acted sooner.
“I can’t even say how angry it makes me feel. It’s sickening. Why did they let it go on for so long? They could have stopped this a long time ago,” she said.
According to investigators, Law may have sent packages containing instruments for suicide to as many as 40 countries.
Police allege Law, who has been charged with two counts of counselling or aiding suicide, used a number of online storefronts to sell sodium nitrite.
Websites associated with Law also appeared to sell rubber tubing, gas masks and other dangerous materials which can be used for suicide, and phone consultations with Law were also advertised on the sites, police said.
In June, Peel police confirmed that a total of 11 police services from across Ontario are now involved in the investigation.
The NCA’s figures bring the total deaths worldwide that may be linked to products allegedly sold by Law to 101, according to tracking by CTV News, which has relied on accounts from authorities, media, and family members.
Tuesday’s news conference will be held at Peel Regional Police headquarters at 10 a.m.
-With files from CTV News Toronto’s Jon Woodward and CP24’s Aisling Murphy
