▲ A mask vendor's warehouse in Yongin, Gyeonggi-do


The government has uncovered the largest number of mask illegal trades in a single volume.

This is the result of the government's joint crackdown and emergency stabilization measures to prevent the sale of canteens for health masks caused by the new coronavirus infection.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's Dangerous Crime Investigation Group reported today (10) that it has detected illegal business activity of A company selling masks over the Internet.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, Company A advertised to sell 1.05 million health masks for $ 1.4 billion in cash over the Internet.

The KFDA tried to contact company A under the guise of the buyer.

Then, after A was attracted to the expressway rest area, the A company changed the place of meeting several times depending on whether it was intended to purchase or have cash.

The quantity stored by A company is more than 10% of 9 million domestic daily mask production.

Business officials kept 1.05 million masks in the factory warehouse, locked down the warehouse and escaped partly after the crackdown, the KFDA said.

The Food and Drug Administration is also investigating the distribution process from sealing the warehouse to the sale of the mask manufacturing plant.

The Food and Drug Administration has decided to accuse Company A of the police.

According to the investigation, Company A will be imprisoned for less than two years or fined 50 million won under the Price Stabilization Act.

In addition, the government joint enforcement team, which consists of 180 members from the KFDA, Korea Fair Trade Commission, National Police Agency, National Tax Service, Korea Customs Service, and local governments, investigated the distributor B, and found out about buying a store.

According to the survey, B, which sells health masks to the online market, marked 'sold out' despite sufficient inventory, including 460,000 masks in its physical warehouse from January 31 to February 6.

This is more than 150% of monthly sales of 110,000 units last year.

The KFDA also accused the police of B.

The government stressed that we will not tolerate market disturbances that take into consideration the safety of the nation, including selling masks using public anxiety, and dealing with them as strictly as possible.

The KFDA asked for active reporting through the Case Report Center (02-2640-5057 / 5080/5087) and the website (www.mfds.go.kr).

(Photo = Yonhap News)