Current:Home > Markets88 deaths linked to Canadian self-harm websites as U.K. opens investigation -FinanceAcademy
88 deaths linked to Canadian self-harm websites as U.K. opens investigation
View
Date:2025-04-15 07:02:46
British police are investigating the deaths of 88 people in the U.K. who bought products from Canada-based websites allegedly offering lethal substances to people at risk of self harm, the country's National Crime Agency said Friday.
The probe is part of international inquiries sparked by the arrest in Canada earlier this year of Kenneth Law, who has been charged with two counts of counseling and aiding suicide.
Canadian police say Law, from the Toronto area, used a series of websites to market and sell sodium nitrite, a substance commonly used to cure meats that can be deadly if ingested.
Police said Law is suspected of sending at least 1,200 packages to more than 40 countries.
Authorities in the United States, Italy, Australia and New Zealand also have launched investigations.
Britain's National Crime Agency said it has identified 232 people in the U.K. who bought products from the websites in the two years until April, 88 of whom had died.
The agency said it was investigating whether any crimes had been committed in the U.K., but said that "at this early stage there are no confirmed links between the items purchased from the websites and cause of death in any of these cases."
"Our deepest sympathies are with the loved ones of those who have died. They are being supported by specially trained officers from police forces," said National Crime Agency Deputy Director Craig Turner.
There were 5,583 suicides reported in England and Wales in 2021, equivalent to a rate of 10.7 deaths per 100,000 people, according to U.K. government statistics. Last year, nearly 50,000 Americans died by suicide, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported earlier this month.
It is estimated that there are currently more than 700,000 suicides per year around the globe, according to the World Health Organization.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, you can reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. You can also chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here.
For more information about mental health care resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email info@nami.org.
- In:
- Britain
- Canada
- Suicide
veryGood! (21634)
Related
- Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor
- Bill Belichick-Patriots split: What we know and what's next for head coach, New England
- The Emmys are confusing this year, so here's a guide to what is and isn't eligible
- Is the musical 'Mean Girls' fetch, or is it never going to happen?
- Louvre will undergo expansion and restoration project, Macron says
- Michael Strahan's heartbreaking revelation comes with a lesson about privacy. Will we listen?
- The Patriots don’t just need a new coach. They need a quarterback and talent to put around him
- Patriots coach candidates: Mike Vrabel, Jerod Mayo lead options to replace Bill Belichick
- House passes bill to add 66 new federal judgeships, but prospects murky after Biden veto threat
- US investigating if Boeing made sure a part that blew off a jet was made to design standards
Ranking
- Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow owns a $3 million Batmobile Tumbler
- Taylor Swift and Blake Lively Make the Whole Place Shimmer During Stylish Night Out
- Number of police officer deaths dropped last year, report finds
- Original 1998 'Friends' scripts discovered in trash bin up for sale on Friday
- The FTC says 'gamified' online job scams by WhatsApp and text on the rise. What to know.
- Russia says defense industry worker arrested for providing information to Poland
- Nicaragua opponent exiled in Costa Rica wounded in shooting
- Woman investigated for trying to poison husband under direction of soap star impersonator
Recommendation
Appeals court scraps Nasdaq boardroom diversity rules in latest DEI setback
'Get well soon': Alabama football fans struggling with Saban's retirement as tributes grow
Publix Deli bbq sauce recalled over potential fish allergen not on the label
'Full House' cast cries remembering Bob Saget 2 years after his death
Why Sean "Diddy" Combs Is Being Given a Laptop in Jail Amid Witness Intimidation Fears
Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS Winter Sale Has Major Markdowns on Top-Selling Loungewear, Shapewear, and More
Your smartwatch is gross. Here's how to easily clean it.
Kevin Hart reveals what he'd like to change about comedy in 2024: 'It's all opinion'