Just a month after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in Memphis, Tennessee announced that it had confiscated thousands of counterfeit COVID-19 vaccination cards, CBP officials in Cincinnati made a similar bust.
“Since August 16, Cincinnati officers have seized five shipments containing a total of 1,683 counterfeit COVID-19 vaccination cards and 2,034 fake Pfizer inoculation stickers,” a CBP press release said.
Cincinnati Port Director Richard Gillespie made a statement on the agency’s continued battle against fake COVID-19 vaccination cards.
He said:
“Creating or buying a fake COVID-19 vaccination card is illegal, not to mention dangerous. Purchasing counterfeit cards supports criminals whose only concern is their bank account, not American security or the health of our citizens. Our officers know that counterfeiters will try to replicate anything to benefit themselves, with no thought to the innocent victims that may suffer from their actions. The men and women of CBP are trained and ready to shut down these scammers and protect our country.”
According to the FBI’s website, “unauthorized use of an official government agency’s seal (such as HHS or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)) is a crime, and may be punishable under Title 18 United States Code, Section 1017, and other applicable laws.”
As of August 17, CBP in Memphis had confiscated more than 3,000 falsified COVID-19 vaccination cards.
“These vaccinations are free and available everywhere. If you do not wish to receive a vaccine, that is your decision. But don’t order a counterfeit, waste my officer’s time, break the law, and misrepresent yourself,” Michael Neipert, Area Port Director of Memphis said at the time.
Officials said they have made similar busts in Chicago, Anchorage, and Pittsburgh.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a contributor at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Vaccine Cards” by Jernej Furman. CC BY 2.0.
