As India gears up for a massive COVID-19 vaccination drive, private investigators’ body APDI has formed an international alliance to check circulation of fake vaccines. An initiative of Delhi-based Association of Private Detectives and Investigators (APDI), the Global Alliance Against Fake Vaccine (GAFV) has been formed comprising professional investigators from 16 countries, while more are likely to join this international campaign initiated from India. APDI Chairman Kunwar Vikram Singh in a statement said, “The GAFV has been formed after reports emanating from several countries about circulation of fake COVID vaccines. Already, Europol, the European Union’s law enforcement agency, has issued a warning of fake vaccine circulation due to huge demands.”
He added that similarly, Interpol had to put out ‘purple notice’ last month after police seized fake vaccines from a warehouse near Johannesburg in South Africa. “It was then that the international alliance was formed on our initiative. APDI took the lead and did a brainstorming session with our international counterparts before forming the GAFV.” The APDI has also written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi offering help in the government’s plans to deal with the issue of fake COVID-19 vaccines. In the letter to the prime minister, Singh said, “While the government is involved in formulating detailed plans for execution of the humongous task at hand, it has come to our notice that some nefarious elements are already at work to take advantage of the situation in order to make fast buck.” He added that we need to be aware of this development and take measures to ensure that the anti-social elements do not succeed in their nefarious designs.
Singh also said some fake pharmaceutical firms internationally are busy creating spurious vaccines which they intend to distribute in a clandestine manner. This spurious antidote will perhaps resemble the genuine one and will become difficult to identify. It is fast developing into an international racket, he added. “I have no doubt that the government is taking all precautions to ensure safe and speedy delivery of the vaccine to the masses,” Singh said. He also sought a meeting with Modi to discuss how the GAFV and APDI can collaborate with the government to deal with the issue of fake vaccines. The APDI has also written a similar letter to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan.
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