International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) has raised the alarm over plans to sell fake COVID-19 vaccines, thereby disrupting the supply chain and endangering lives.
According to the Police group, organized crime groups may attempt to fake or steal supplies of new Covid-19 vaccines
The agency issued a global orange notice—which it describes as a serious and imminent threat to public safety—to its 194 members, calling the vaccines “liquid gold.”
It warned that counterfeit vaccines or fake coronavirus tests could become a growing problem as international travel gradually resumes in the months to come.
“As governments are preparing to roll out vaccines, criminal organizations are planning to infiltrate or disrupt supply chains,” Jürgen Stock, Interpol secretary-general said.
“It is essential that law enforcement is as prepared as possible for what will be an onslaught of all types of criminal activity linked to the Covid-19 vaccine.”
Interpol issued the warning after the U.K. became the first country to grant emergency-use authorization for a vaccine.
Developed by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE , rollout could start next week. Regulators in the U.S. and other countries are now evaluating the new two-shot
Pfizer has already begun shipping shots to distribution sites in anticipation of gaining approval from the Food and Drug Administration, which is planning to review the vaccine on Dec. 10 and could authorize its use soon after.
