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Join on Telegram Denver- Moroccan officials convened at the Ministry of Interior on Tuesday, August 24, to address the concerning issue regarding the proliferation of false COVID-19 documents in Morocco and abroad.
According to a press release, government officials are encountering a variety of false documents including fraudulent “PCR certificates and vaccine passes” when conducting routine inspections. Officials reiterated the serious nature of falsifying these important documents, stating that offenders are “liable to criminal prosecution” by Moroccan authorities.
Moroccan officials accuse the perpetrators of “compromising the national vaccination campaign” and preventing Morocco from eliminating the COVID-19 threat within its borders.
As a result of the meeting, Moroccan officials agreed that only those with valid vaccine passes or PCR passes who arrived within 48 hours of the meeting could enter Morocco. Furthermore, Officials plan to strengthen boarding and arrival testing procedures at international entry points into the North African country. Officials also assured the continued prosecution of “any person holding a falsified health document or involved in its falsification.”
Many fraudsters and forgers have taken advantage of the global travel restrictions to sell negative COVID-19 tests and falsified vaccine passes to travellers on the black market.
In May, Spanish authorities arrested one man accused of running a similar operation. The man was apprehended in the Southern Spanish town of Almeria. Spanish authorities accused the man of selling his services to Moroccan travellers for approximately $150 per customer.
Additionally in July, individuals from France were discovered to be selling falsified COVID-19 vaccination certificates to travelers bound for Morocco and other countries. The forgers operate on social media channels like Telegram and Snapchat, and request for money to be transferred through encrypted services such as Monero to prevent detection. The cost for a forged vaccination certificate can range up to 250 to 300 Euros.
The main concern for authorities around the world remains the continued resurgence in global COVID-19 cases, and the further spread of its transmissible variants. Despite efforts to reopen travel to a relatively normal level, the sale and usage of false COVID-19 documents continues to undermine the work done by national authorities to contain cases of infection.
As of Tuesday, August 24, Morocco’s Health Ministry recorded 69,188 active cases in the country. This number marks a significant improvement from the active cases recorded last week, with the active case rate surpassing 80,000 people. The active cases recorded this week marks a 13,000 decrease from last week, signifying an improvement in the epidemiological situation in Morocco.
The decrease in active cases within the North African country can be attributed to the additional vaccine shipments Morocco has received within the past week, and the expansion of the national vaccination campaign to children aged 12 or older.
