New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alerted state police organisations about fake COVID-19 testing kits.
Fake COVID-19 testing kits
The probe agency said that these kits are circulating in the international market. The information has been provided by Interpol in this regard, sources said. The CBI said that the Interpol has passed on this information to 194 countries.
The CBI is the National Central Bureau for India tasked with coordination with the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol).
Role of ILOs
Once it got the information, the CBI swung into action. The probe agency alerted all Interpol Liaison Officers (ILOs) to alert their respective police organisations.
The ILOs are officers deputed in every state police organisation for liaison with the CBI over matters related to Interpol. “No Indian company or supplier is mentioned in the Interpol communication,” the CBI sources said.
They refused to give any further details as such information may alert the operatives who may be dealing with the fake kits. India is heavily dependent on imported COVID-19 testing kits.
International crimes on the rise
The Interpol has noticed a large number of international crimes after the coronavirus pandemic gripped the globe. Among these are online sale of fake medicines and medical supplies and blood plasma of recovered COVID-19 patients.
The Lyon-based international police cooperation organisation has issued a number of global alerts about the modus operandi of criminals. It said that such people are trying to mint quick money in the wake of the COVID-19 global crisis.
PTI