Criminal gangs are selling forged Covid certificates at airports for hundreds of pounds, it emerged today.
Several countries, including Britain, require proof of a recent negative test from all international arrivals – but gangs are helping people slip through the net for as little as £35.
Europol issued a warning about the documents as it was revealed a man was arrested at Luton Airport on suspicion of selling fake Covid papers for £100.
The news means that people who could be infected with the virus are able to arrive in Britain unnoticed.
Several countries, including Britain, require proof of a recent negative test from all international arrivals – but gangs are helping people slip through the net
The EU’s police agency issued a warning to travellers today, amid several arrests across the continent.
Gangs are faking the name of a genuine laboratory on the false certificates in a bid to dupe border officials, Europol said.
New rules came into force on January 18 requiring arrivals in the UK to prove they were negative for coronavirus with a test that meets performance standards of 97 per cent specificity and 80 per cent sensitivity at high viral loads.
This is most likely to be a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, which tend to take 12 to 48 hours for the results to come back.
However passengers could also use a cheaper and quicker lateral flow test – although these have been criticised for being less accurate especially when self-administered and so could fail to meet requirements.
A trial of one lateral flow test used by the Government found that it detected 79 per cent of cases when administered by a trained professional but only 40 per cent if someone is self-swabbing.
This is significantly lower than the more expensive but slower PCR tests which detect 70 to 99 per cent of positive cases. Rapid tests are more accurate for those with high viral loads.
A number of suspects have been caught selling the forged certificates online and through mobile messaging chat groups in Spain and the Netherlands.
Europol added: ‘As long as travel restrictions remain in place due to the pandemic, it is very likely that criminals will seize the opportunity of producing and selling fake Covid-19 test certificates.
‘Given the widespread technological means available in the form of high-quality printers and different software, fraudsters are able to produce high-quality counterfeit, forged or fake documents.’
Criminal gangs are selling forged Covid certificates at airports for hundreds of pounds
French police last year broke up a forgery ring at Charles de Gaulle airport outside Paris, which was selling fake certificates for up to £260.
And a man was arrested 10 days ago at Luton Airport on suspicion of selling fake Covid papers.
According to the BBC, the suspect, in his 30s, was arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation and released under investigation.
In Spain, police arrested a man selling forged papers for 40 euros online, while in the Netherlands scammers were doing the same via mobile messaging applications.
MailOnline has contacted the Home Office for comment.
Boris Johnson says he is ‘optimistic’ summer holidays WILL happen as he insists Covid lockdown is working and vaccines ARE effective against variants with report hailing ‘stabilising’ cases – but warns UK must keep ‘foot on the throat of the beast’
Boris Johnson today insisted lockdown is working and vaccines are effective against coronavirus variants – as he held out hopes summer holidays can happen this year.
The PM struck a positive tone as he visited a vaccination site in Yorkshire, saying there was evidence of a ‘flattening and maybe even a falling off of infection rates and hospitalisations’.
After a leaked Cabinet Office report hailed the ‘stabilising’ situation, he also stressed that the government believes all the jabs being used in the UK are effective against all variants. And after mixed messages from ministers he said he was ‘optimistic’ that Britons will be able to go on summer breaks.
The brighter news was underlined tonight with figures showing deaths down nearly a third on last Monday at 406, and new infections at a seven-week low of 18,607.
But Mr Johnson dodged committing to any timetable, amid fears that the South African version of the disease is transmitting in the community.
The PM struck a positive tone as he visited a vaccination site in Yorkshire, saying there was evidence of a ‘flattening and maybe even a falling off of infection rates and hospitalisations’
Door-to-door coronavirus testing is being launched across eight parts of England amid fears the variant is now spreading in the community.
The PM told reporters on his visit to the vaccination hub in Batley: ‘We are starting to see some signs of a flattening and maybe even a falling off of infection rates and hospitalisations.
‘But don’t forget that they are still at a very high level by comparison with most points in the last 12 months, a really very high level.
‘So the risk is if you take your foot off the throat of the beast, as it were, and you allow things to get out of control again then you could, alas, see the disease spreading again fast before we have got enough vaccines into people’s arms. That’s the risk.’