French police say they seized around 140,000 masks over the weekend that were going to be sold on the black market.
On Saturday, two men were arrested in the French city of St. Denis, while unloading boxes that reportedly contained thousands of surgical masks and high-quality masks used for coronavirus patients.
According to police, one of the men bought the masks for nearly $100,000 and intended to sell them to "acquaintances" in the construction industry for "big profits."
Because of the coronavirus, there has been increased demand for personal protective equipment, or PPE. Health care systems around the world have experienced shortages, and obtaining supplies for personal use has also become difficult.
Last month, French President Emmanuel Macron said the government would requisition all stocks and production of masks in the country so they could be distributed to healthcare workers and people infected with the virus.
Contains footage from CNN.
