RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — As part of the State of Emergency declared by North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper last week ahead of Hurricane Helene, the state’s price gouging law went into effect.
The State of Emergency was declared on Thursday as Helene was less than a day away from hitting the North Carolina mountains — where nearly 60 are dead and many counties devastated.
A lack of power and transportation into the mountains has left many needing gasoline to fuel generators, power tools, or their cars.
As part of the declaration, businesses can not raise prices of goods or services to profit during a disaster during the state of emergency.
Drivers in hard-hit Asheville lined up outside a gas station to refuel Tuesday with many streets and highways in the region impassable. In the last few days, there were complaints of long lines at gas stations — including one that was 8 miles long.
By 9 a.m. Tuesday, the N.C. Department of Justice reported that there were 70 complaints filed about price gouging, according to N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein.
Click here to file a North Carolina price gouging complaint
The complaints so far involve gas, groceries and hotel rooms, Stein said.
In the last six years, the attorney general’s office has filed 12 lawsuits spurred by complaints.
Hurricane Debby earlier this year led to 30 price gouging complaints in North Carolina.
Rodney Overton
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