On March 26, BC’s public safety minister issued an order that banned the secondary resale of medical supplies and personal protective equipment.
Since then, the Delta Police’s crime reduction unit has met with a pair of people that was still trying to resell various types of medical masks through online listings.
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 https://t.co/lkl5gVZinF pic.twitter.com/tvlEya9Bjv
— Delta Police (@deltapolice) April 3, 2020
The first person was re-selling N95 masks at $15-per-mask with a $300 delivery fee, so officers approached the man as a prospective buyer and agreed to meet him on April 2.
The Burnay resident showed up to the pre-arranged location driving a luxury vehicle and was handed a $500 bylaw ticket for operating with no business license.
Police also seized the 60 masks, for which the seller was asking $1,200.
The next day, officers arranged to meet another person who was selling 3,000 surgical masks for $2,200.
This seller was also handed a $500 bylaw ticket and police seized 4,500 masks from their vehicle.
“Our Crime Reduction Unit follows crime trends, and it’s troubling to see people trying to flout the ministerial order during this pandemic,” said Cris Leykauf, spokesperson for Delta Police.
The Delta Police will be working with the Fraser Health Authority to determine how the masks can be best put to use.
