Delta police stopped two people this week allegedly trying to re-sell thousands of face and surgical masks 鈥� at 鈥渉ighly inflated鈥� prices 鈥� in defiance of a provincial order banning such sales.
A constable with the Delta Police Department鈥檚 crime reduction unit, which typically focuses on stolen property, was proactively looking through online ads when she came upon an individual looking to re-sell N95 masks, the police force said in a news release on Friday (April 3).
The officer reached out and arranged to buy a quantity of masks at a price of $15 per unit, plus a $300 鈥渄elivery fee.鈥�
Secondary sales of medical supplies and personal protective equipment, as well as cleaning supplies and food, were banned by the province on March 26 as part of a series of orders under the Emergency Program Act aimed at co-ordinating pandemic responses province-wide and putting an end to the 鈥渟hameful black market for medical supplies,鈥� as Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth put it, that has materialized as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
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Prior to meeting with the seller on Thursday, police contacted the City of Delta鈥檚 bylaw enforcement section to determine what offences would apply in these circumstances.
Police took possession after 5,360 surgical and N95 masks this week after two individuals attempted to sell them to us. Re-selling of personal protective equipment is now banned by ministerial order. Sellers both got $500 bylaw tickets. News release
鈥� Delta Police (@deltapolice)
The seller, a Burnaby resident, showed up to the pre-arranged location driving a luxury vehicle. A police officer approached the man and informed him he would be receiving a $500 bylaw ticket for operating without a business licence. Police took possession of 60 masks, for which the seller was asking $1,200.
鈥淥ur crime reduction unit follows crime trends, and it鈥檚 troubling to see people trying to flout the ministerial order during this pandemic,鈥� Cris Leykauf, public affairs manager for the Delta Police Department, said in a press release.
A day later, on Friday, April 3, Delta police handed a second person a $500 bylaw ticket after arranging to purchase 3,000 surgical masks from them for $2,200.
Both sellers voluntarily relinquished the masks to police, with the second seller relinquishing an additional 2,300 units. In total, police took possession of 5,360 masks between the two.
The department will be working with the Fraser Health Authority to determine how the masks can best be put to use.
鈥� with files from Katya Slepian
editor@northdeltareporter.com
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