Police in China and South Africa recently seized thousands of doses of a fake 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine, which INTERPOL warns is only the “tip of the iceberg” of vaccine-related crimes.
INTERPOL, based in Lyon, France, said they uncovered 400 vials, or the equivalent of about 2,400 doses of the fake vaccine, in a warehouse in Germiston, a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa; in addition, police also found fake masks at the scene and arrested three Chinese nationals and one Chambian citizen. In addition, police also found fake masks at the scene and arrested three Chinese citizens and one Shambian citizen.
In China, the authorities, with the assistance of Interpol, which has 194 member countries, succeeded in uncovering a network of counterfeit vaccine dealers.
According to Interpol, Chinese public security authorities raided a fake vaccine manufacturing plant, arrested some 80 suspects and seized more than 3,000 doses of fake vaccines from the site.
Interpol issued an Orange Notice earlier this year, warning governments around the world to guard against organized crime networks targeting the COVID-19 vaccine, and that attention should be paid to both online and physical spaces.
This is just the tip of the iceberg of COVID-19-related crime,” said Interpol Secretary-General Juergen Stock.
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