Vollvik masks are of better quality than feared, but the charge remains – E24

Idar Vollvik’s defender Arild Dyngeland says Vollvik is not surprised by the test results.

– I’d probably be more surprised otherwise. Anyone who gets a message like this after going through something like this will naturally be relieved, the lawyer tells E24.

The tests, which were conducted by FFI (the Norwegian Defense Research Establishment), show that the six sanitary napkins tested have a so-called 98 percent bacterial leakage effect.

This corresponds to the requirement for medical bandages. Both the police and the Norwegian Medicines Agency emphasize that only random samples have been taken.

– Only a small selection of bandages have been tested and therefore cannot be considered representative of the total number of bandages seized, police wrote in a press release Monday morning.

Still loaded

The Western Police District received the report from the Norwegian Medicines Agency on Monday.

Idar Vollvik was arrested in his own home by the police on 3 September, when the police took action against three of his business premises.

Police believe the former billionaire has deliberately repackaged face masks that are not approved for medical use and marked them as medical masks.

The series founder has admitted to repackaging the bandages, but denies his criminal guilt.

– We register that these responses are not only better than expected. They are in the highest class that can be entered. As I understand it, this also applies to the product that Idar Vollvik has bought and sold, Vollvik advocate Arild Dyngeland told E24 on Monday.

The plane that was rejected

I cannot conclude on the quality.

Police emphasize that only sanitary napkins have been tested for bacterial filtration efficacy, and that there are a number of other requirements for a sanitary napkin to be labeled medical type I, II or IIR.

Therefore, the test report cannot provide a final assessment of the quality of the bandages, police say. Therefore, the test results are unrelated to the charges against Idar Vollvik, emphasize the police.

Police attorney Sulland says it is not possible to prove the entire seizure and notes that various bandages have also been sold and used.

– There are also a number of other things that must be there for the bandage to be marked with the different classifications, in addition to the bacterial filtering capacity.

– Do you have plans to try more masks in the fitting?

– So far, we have not planned any more tests. The tax authority has the burden of proof, and if we choose not to conduct further tests, the criminal case track will assume that they have a high bacterial filtration capacity.

A sales ban is maintained

Two days after Vollvik’s arrest, the Norwegian Medicines Agency banned the Vollvik companies from trading.

This means that the bandages of his three companies cannot be traded or sold, and that the companies had to “remove the corresponding equipment from the distribution links as soon as possible”.

– The results do not affect the sales ban imposed by the Norwegian Medicines Agency VOVI AS, Ludo Store AS and Norske nettbutikker AS, the Norwegian Medicines Agency informed E24 on Monday.

Unit leader Tove Jahr believes the results show that the bandages may be of better quality than previously feared.

– In cases where sanitary napkins have been used, in that case it will imply a lower risk than it would have been the case if the bacterial filtration efficiency had been lower, he says.

It also emphasizes that only a few handkerchiefs were sampled in the seizures and that therefore the test cannot be considered representative of the total number of bandages seized.

The investigation continues

– The basis of the accusation is that the masks marked “non-medical masks” have been remarked as “medical masks”. This applies regardless of whether the nozzles turn out to be of better quality than the original labeling indicates, says police attorney Sigrid Sulland.

Furthermore, it emphasizes that mislabeling and relabeling of face masks is a crime.

– We will continue to complete and obtain an overview of the seizure, we will review electronic leads related to communication and buying and selling, Vollvik and several witnesses will also be questioned further, police attorney Sigrid Sulland told E24 on Monday morning .

Defender Arild Dyngeland says Vollvik views the test results as “positive.”

– The item Idar Vollvik has ordered is medical bandages. He has sold medical bandages, and these tests so far show that he is fine, says the lawyer.