Criminals cashing in on coronavirus, Interpol says

Counterfeit facemasks, substandard hand sanitisers and unauthorized antiviral medication are among items seized as part of a global operation by Interpol against criminals cashing in on the Covid-19 pandemic.

Interpol said the items were all seized under Operation Pangea XIII, in which saw police, customs authorities and health regulatory bodies from 90 countries targetted the illicit online sale of medicines and medical products.

Interpol said 121 arrests had been made worldwide and potentially dangerous pharmaceuticals worth more than USD $14m had been seized.

According to Interpol, which has its headquarters in Lyon in France: "The outbreak of the coronavirus disease has offered an opportunity for fast cash, as criminals take advantage of the high market demand for personal protection and hygiene products.

"Law enforcement agencies taking part in Operation Pangea found 2,000 online links advertising items related to COVID-19.

Of these, counterfeit surgical masks were the medical device most commonly sold online, accounting for around 600 cases during the week of action.

It also said more than 34,000 counterfeit and substandard masks were seized as well as so-called 'corona spray' and 'coronavirus packages' and fake medicines.

“Once again, Operation Pangea shows that criminals will stop at nothing to make a profit," Jürgen Stock, Interpol’s Secretary-General, said.

The illicit trade in such counterfeit medical items during a public health crisis shows their total disregard for people’s wellbeing, or their lives.

This week of action resulted in an 18% rise in the quantity of unauthorised antiviral medicines seized when compared to a similar action in March 2018, and a 100% increase in seizures of unauthorized chloroquine - an antimalarial medication) - which could also be connected to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Other types of fake or unauthorised medicines were also detected, as well as counterfeit medical devices, including some surgical instruments. More than 2,500 weblinks were also closed as a result of the operation and according to Interpol it disrupted the activities of 37 organized crime groups.

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