Man who allegedly sold virus test kits is charged

A Toronto man has been charged with fraud for allegedly shipping packages of prohibited COVID-19 test kits across Canada and the United States, police said Friday.

Toronto police’s financial crimes unit and the United States Department of Homeland Security launched a joint investigation this week after a parcel containing 25 “individual prohibited COVID-19 testing kits” was intercepted at the border between Canada and the United States.

According to police, further investigation with the Canada Post’s security and investigation services revealed several parcels of prohibited COVID-19 tests sent from a Toronto address were shipped across Canada and into the United States.

On Thursday, officers from Toronto police’s financial crimes unit executed a search warrant in the Cosburn Avenue and Pape Avenue area and arrested Jesse Wong, 43, of Toronto.

Wong is charged with fraud under $5000 and possession of a forgery device. He is scheduled to appear in College Park court May 28.

It’s unclear if the COVID-19 tests worked or were bogus. Toronto police spokesperson Meaghan Gray said the service is working with the United States Food and Drug Administration to determine the devices’ “legitimacy.”

For now, “our charges are based on the allegation that no kits are permitted for sale to the public in Canada,” Gray said.

Gray said Wong was allegedly selling the kits for $10, as well as masks for $20.

Toronto Police say the public must be “extra vigilant” when it comes to people selling products or services associated with COVID-19.