Most of forged COVID-certificates exposed at border crossing checkpoints - police

That’s according to Ihor Klymenko, chief of the National Police, who held a briefing on Tuesday, November 9, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"We find the most such certificates as people are crossing our country’s border. For example, 48 such cases were reported at the Boryspil Airport this week alone, and another six – at the Zhuliany Airport," the head of the National Police said.

The police chief also gave the example of the Mukacheve bus station’s ticket office selling counterfeit express coronavirus tests for UAH 350 (nearly US$13).

"We found 30 blanks at that spot alone. When we started to investigate this crime, it turned out that several doctors from a number of medical facilities in Zakarpattia were also involved. The inquiry is currently underway there," Klymenko said.

According to the official, the police are working intensively, jointly with the medics, every day deploying some 2,700 police officers as part of mobile groups to verify COVID-19 certificates, including on transport.

In addition, both patrol and district police officers conduct similar raids on a daily basis. In total, about 14,000 servicemen are involved in the effort every day, said the head of the National Police.

"During the raids, the teams revealed 400 cases where citizens carried no COVID-19 certificates on them. This is literally within 10 days of work. Accordingly, we drew up administrative reports on these people," Klymenko said.

According to the police chief, a separate section dedicated to the police work amid the pandemic will appear on the National Police website on Tuesday. Similar sections will be available on the websites of regional police departments as well.

Last week, law enforcers initiated 118 inquiries into the production and use of forged COVID certificates.

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