The Italian police announced on Monday that it had dismantled an online sales network for fake health passes, a sesame that has become mandatory since Friday on the peninsula to access many public places.
The Police have identified four suspects, including two minors, who proposed the sale of these false documents on social networks.
“Thousands of users registered on popular communication platforms where fake health passes were offered for sale for a price between 150 and 500 euros, with an absolute guarantee of anonymity thanks to payment in cryptocurrency or with the purchase of vouchers for trading sites electronic, ”he said postal police in a statement.
The health pass is mandatory from Friday in Italy to access cinemas, museums and dining rooms. The pass is granted in case of vaccination (at least one dose), negative test in the last 48 hours, or recovery from Covid-19 in the last six months.
As of September 1, it will also be mandatory on trains and coaches, as well as for teachers and students. Police said they identified a total of 32 chat channels involved in this traffic on Telegram’s instant messaging network. The identification of buyers is in progress.
The crackdown occurred when 20 million Italians downloaded their pass in the last three days, according to Health Minister Roberto Speranza.
“This is an extraordinary figure that demonstrates the awareness and participation of the citizens of our country in the fight against Covid,” he wrote on Facebook on Monday.