Police concerned with suicide substance shipped by mail to the public

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Kenneth Law

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.

Police investigating the online sales of a suicide powder in Canada are concerned with members of the public who may be in possession of the powder. Eleven Ontario police services are involved with the investigation.

Peel Regional Police Constable Sarah Patten was reported on June 16 by Ryan Rocca for Global News as urging:

individuals be alert for any packaging or labels identifying sodium nitrite, including hoods and/or masks that could be used for self-harm.

She said officers are concerned that individuals are in possession of the items and asked that everyone “be vigilant” of online transactions made by loved ones from the following companies:

• Academic / ACademic
•  AmbuCA
•  Escape Mode / escMode
•  Imtime Cuisine
•  ICemac

“If you or someone you know received a package containing the described items from these businesses or have information about an incident, please contact your local police service,” Patten said.

She said individuals can also contact the Peel Regional Police at 1-888-714-0003 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.

Neha Raju and Tom Parfett

CTV News journalist, Jon Woodward, reported on May 9, 2023 that Kenneth Law, 57, was charged with two counts of aiding and abetting the suicide deaths of two people in Peel Region, through the online sale of a legal substance that is lethal in high concentrations. Law sold the substance online for the purposes of aiding suicide. Law is allegedly linked to deaths in many countries. Woodward reported:

How can so many suicides be linked? There’s something going on behind the scenes,” said Lee Cooper from the U.K.

Cooper believes his 41-year-old brother Gary consumed sodium nitrite mailed from Canada last year.

Besides Cooper, 23-year-old Neha Raju and 22-year-old Tom Parfett died in the U.K., 20-year-old Noelle Ramirez died in Colorado, and 17-year-old Anthony Jones died in Michigan.Police are investigating 1200 people who received packages from Law.

Woodward reported that police are examining more suicide deaths to determine if those deaths are linked to Kenneth Law. Since 2020, the suicide powder may be linked to 30 deaths in Ontario, 15 deaths in British Columbia, 2 deaths in Manitoba and 1 death in New Brunswick as well as other jurisdictions.

Law is believed to have distributed 1200 packages of the substance. Many more suicide deaths may be connected to Kenneth Law.