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3-Ply Face Masks Worth RM446,000 Seized In Illegal Facebook Price Gouging Scheme

3-Ply Face Masks Worth RM446,000 Seized In Illegal Facebook Price Gouging Scheme

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When the country is in a dire shortage of face masks, there are always those who take advantage of a bad situation to turn a profit.

The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry raided a premise in Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya yesterday follow tip-offs from the public.

The raid resulted in enforcers seizing 223,000 units of three-ply face masks, worth a total of RM446,000.

Three-ply face masks were being sold online at higher prices on certain Facebook pages. They were being sold for RM3.50 per piece, when the price ceiling on these masks should have been RM2.

Whole boxes of face masks were hoarded away.
(Credit: KPDNHEP)

The suspect had used Facebook and Whatsapp to advertise and complete the sale of the face masks. The masks were then sent through post or via cash-on-delivery (COD) to areas around Kota Damansara.

One lone suspect has been nabbed in this operation. An individual can be fined up to RM100,000 or jailed up to three years or both. A subsequent offence can result in a fine up to RM250,000 or five years jail or both.

Face masks are an important personal protective equipment in this fight against the pandemic. If you have seen other unsavoury hoarders and sellers of other essential equipment, you can lodge a report to the ministry through their Enforcement Command Centre hotline at 1-800-886-000 or 03-8882-6088/6245 or on their official website at http://e-aduan.kpdnhep.gov.my.


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