Four arrested for illegally selling COVID-19 test kits

Four people were arrested on suspicion of illegally selling COVID-19 test kits, the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau announced on Sunday.

Since mid-December, a 39-year-old male suspect surnamed Zhang received a large number of test kits through the three other suspects surnamed He, Wang, and Liu. And he sold them to the public at a marked-up price, making an illegal profit of more than 50,000 yuan (US$7272), according to the announcement.

Zhang and the three others have been taken into custody on suspicion of criminal offenses, police said.

Shanghai police will work with the market watchdog, and drug watchdog to continue to crack down on illegal hoarding and price gouging, and will maintain market order and protect the legitimate rights of the public to the greatest extent, the announcement added.

Additionally, the public is encouraged to report to the police in time if they encounter such situations.

SHINE