Vaccine Shipments: Interpol expects ‘dramatic’ jump in crime

Interpol chief Juergen Stock yesterday predicted a sharp rise in crimes with robbers seeking to get their hands on precious vaccines aimed at stopping the coronavirus pandemic.

"With vaccines rolling out, crime will increase dramatically," Stock told business weekly WirtschaftsWoche.

"We will see thefts and warehouse break-ins and attacks on vaccine shipments."

The secretary general of the France-based global policing agency said he also expected more cases of graft related to Covid-19 vaccines.

"Corruption will be rampant in many places to get the valuable vaccine quicker," he said.

A vaccine produced by German company BioNTech and US giant Pfizer has already been approved for use by 16 countries.

The European Union's EMA was poised to make a similar decision yesterday, with the first jabs to begin in the bloc next Sunday.

In Germany, federal police will be deployed to secure transportation of the vaccines, which will also be stored in secret places.

Besides the threat of robberies, fears are also running high of possible sabotage by anti-vaxxers.

On December 1, Interpol warned that organised criminal networks could be targeting Covid-19 vaccines, and could look to sell fake shots.

The agency said it had issued a global alert to law enforcement across its 194 member countries, warning them to prepare for organised crime networks targeting Covid-19 vaccines, both physically and online.

"As governments are preparing to roll out vaccines, criminal organisations are planning to infiltrate or disrupt supply chains. Criminal networks will also be targeting unsuspecting members of the public via fake websites and false cures, which could pose a significant risk to their health, even their lives," said Interpol secretary general Juergen Stock.