In a significant crackdown on pandemic-related fraud, two men from Luton have been formally charged following a comprehensive investigation led by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and NHS England. The investigation unearthed an illegal operation involving the creation and sale of fraudulent Covid-19 vaccination records during the pandemic’s height.
Waqas Hanif, 26, of Sherwood Road, Luton, was apprehended by NCA officers in January 2022. Touqir Nasir, 29, from Runley Road, Luton, participated in a voluntary interview with the authorities in March 2022. The inquiry disclosed that nearly 2,000 counterfeit vaccination records were generated at a health centre in Luton between June and October 2021. Additionally, authorities seized £145,000 in cash from a safety deposit box linked to the scheme in the same town.
Throughout the pandemic, it was discovered that unvaccinated individuals had purchased legitimate vaccine passport records from online marketplaces illegally. It is believed that organised crime groups had recruited healthcare professionals to produce these fraudulent records, enabling unvaccinated people to bypass travel restrictions imposed to curb the virus’s spread.
Both Hanif and Nasir face charges related to offences under the Computer Misuse Act and Fraud Act. They are scheduled to appear at Luton Magistrates’ Court on 9 January.
Deputy Director Paul Foster, Head of the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit, expressed his concerns about the misuse of healthcare systems. He stated:
“Receiving a vaccine is a matter of individual choice. However, abusing our healthcare system to facilitate unvaccinated individuals to bypass restrictions that are in place to protect the British public is illegal. Working closely with the NHS England Counter Fraud Team, this investigation has helped to secure the safety of our communities by preventing organised criminals from further undermining the national pandemic response and benefitting financially from the damaging service they provided.”
Natalie Cassidy, Senior Crown Prosecutor from the Crown Prosecution Service, highlighted the seriousness of the charges:
“The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised the National Crime Agency and the NHS to charge the two defendants with offences relating to creating fake Covid-19 vaccination records for paying unvaccinated individuals who then purported to be vaccinated for travel purposes when they were not. The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against these defendants are now active and that they have a right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
This case serves as a stern reminder of the legal consequences of compromising public health measures, especially during a global health crisis.
source: National Crime Agency
