TEHRAN - Gholamhossein Esmaeili, Iran’s Judiciary spokesman, said on Tuesday that those who hoard face masks and other sanitizing items will be punished harshly.

As the number of patients infected with the novel coronavirus is increasing, certain opportunists are hiding hygienic items in huge quantities. Security forces have so far uncovered warehouses where millions of face masks or sanitary gloves were hidden.

The Judiciary spokesman told a regular press briefing that those who do the “dirty business” of hoarding items in the area of medicine and health will be severely punished.

He even said hoarders may even face “death penalty” or jail terms ranging from 5 to 20 years.

On Monday, Judiciary Chief Hojatoleslam Ebrahim Raeisi ordered severe punishment for hoarding pharmaceutical and health products.

According to Tasnim, he said that the health of people would never be up for a bargain. 

He added that hoarding medical commodities in the current circumstances is playing with the lives of people and could not be forgiven by any means.

NA/PA