Cops bust ring selling Covid-19 vaccine

 

The syndicate members are believed to have randomly called people, offering them two doses of Covid-19 vaccines for RM420.

PETALING JAYA: Three people were arrested yesterday on suspicion of trying to sell Covid-19 vaccines to the public.

In a statement today, Kuala Lumpur police chief Azmi Abu Kassim said initial investigations found that members of the public were randomly called by the suspects – who then offered them two doses of Covid-19 vaccines for RM420.

“The chief secretariat of the federal territories’ Covid-19 immunisation task force (CITF) has confirmed that the Covid-19 vaccine supply access guarantee special committee (JKJAV) has not given any party permission to sell Covid-19 vaccines,” he said.

The trio, two women and a man aged between 23 and 50, were arrested in Brickfields and Putrajaya. They have been remanded until Sunday.

The case is being investigated under Sections 420 and 511 of the Penal Code for attempted fraud.

The arrests stem from a police report lodged by a woman working as a research officer at CITF who said she received information about the sale of Covid-19 vaccines.

“The public is advised not to take up offers from anyone selling Covid-19 vaccines,” added Azmi.

The government has always maintained that the public should bear no cost for vaccines.

Azmi said those with information about the sale of vaccines are urged to call the Kuala Lumpur police hotline at 03-2115 9999 or the CITF secretariat at 03-8893 4303/4304.

Yesterday’s arrests came on the back of a call by the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) for authorities to conduct a full investigation into allegations of Covid-19 vaccines being sold by a non-healthcare private company to private groups.

In a statement yesterday, MMA president Dr Subramaniam Muniandy said if the allegations were proven to be true, stern action must be taken against the non-healthcare private company and the private healthcare facility involved. - FMT