Fraudulent gang issuing fake vaccine certificates, caught in Rawalpindi

Police and health authorities in Rawalpindi have dismantled a fraudulent gang that issued thousands of fake vaccination certificates from a private laboratory. Three suspects have been arrested and police has seized documents and equipment linked to the fraud. 

According to officials, the District Health Authority carried out a raid on a private lab located on Murree Road, where fake certificates were being produced for profit. 

During the operation, investigators recovered fake stamps, forged vaccination paperwork and other related material used to fabricate the documents. The lab was immediately sealed, and all seized items were taken into police custody as evidence. 

It was also reported, three employees arrested during the raid had no legal authority to issue official health documents. Investigators estimate that more than 2,600 fake vaccination certificates were unlawfully issued before the crackdown. 

Moreover, the health department revealed that each forged certificate was being sold for around Rs 7,500, highlighting the lucrative nature of the scam. 

Officials emphasised that such fake documentation poses serious public health risks, undermining vaccination efforts and allowing unvaccinated individuals to bypass health requirements and travel restrictions. 

“The issuance of fraudulent medical certificates not only violates health regulations but also threatens community health,” a health official said, urging the public to rely only on authorized channels for vaccine documentation. 

Police say further arrests and investigations are possible as they continue to trace the network involved in producing and distributing the fake certificates