The Los Angeles Police Department’s Commercial Crimes Division, Intellectual Property Crimes Unit (IPCU), announced the arrest of a suspect for selling Covid-19 test kits that have not been approved by the Federal Drug Administration.
On May 12, 2020, around 2 p.m., the Los Angeles Police Department’s Commercial Crimes Division, Intellectual Property Crimes Unit, in collaboration with Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) served a search warrant near the 800 block of Broadway Avenue in the city of Santa Monica. Detectives arrested Ying Lien Wang, 39-years-old, for selling Covid-19 test kits that have not been approved by the Federal Drug Administration.
Investigators conducted three undercover buys and surveilled the suspect before her subsequent arrest for a violation of 17500 Business and Professions Code-False Advertising. The suspect sold her products on Craigslist. None of the Covid-19 test kits recovered had been tested to meet United States safety standards and could pose a risk to anyone using them. Investigators recovered 61 non-approved Covid-19 test kits. There will be additional pending charges are for 109920 Health and Safety Code.
Residents are reminded that Los Angeles is offering free coronavirus testing to all, you may obtain one, free of charge by logging in to covid19.lacounty.gov/testing/
Anyone with additional information about this crime is asked to contact Commercial Crimes Detectives at (213) 486-5940. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org. Tipsters may also visit www.lapdonline.org and click on “Anonymous Web Tips” under the “Get Involved-Crime Stoppers” menu to submit an online tip. Lastly, tipsters may also download the “P-3 Tips” mobile application and select the LA Regional Crime Stoppers as their local program.
Submitted by the Los Angeles Police Department Newsroom
