NEW DELHI: A Canadian man, Kenneth Law, faces 14 counts of second-degree murder charges for allegedly aiding over a dozen young people in Ontario to end their lives by sending them poison through the mail, police said on Tuesday.
He had previously been charged with 14 counts of counseling or aiding suicide, The Guardian reported.
Police said Law sent roughly 160 packages containing deadly substances to individuals within Canada and shipped over 1,200 packages to addresses spanning more than 40 countries.
“It’s clearly significant to be laying this many charges and that’s not taken lightly by the investigative team,” Inspector Simon James of the police force in York, a northern district of Toronto, told a televised press conference, according to The Guardian.
Law’s victims ranged in age from 16 to 36, but he declined to disclose the identities of the victims, nor did he provide reasons for the escalated charges against him. He also said he did not know how many people abroad might have died.

“We continue to cooperate with law enforcement agencies and collaborate with them globally,” said James.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corp, citing official records and statements, said Law may be linked to 117 deaths globally, with most occurring in Britain. Investigations reveal shipments to countries like New Zealand, France, Ireland, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland.

Law, accused by the police of using multiple websites to connect with his victims, is currently in custody and is scheduled for his next court appearance on December 19, The Guardian reported.
“One of the challenges that we face are, a number of these sites are located in other countries where Canadian law does not apply,” said James.
If convicted, Law would be among Canada’s worst mass murderers.
(With input from agencies)