Boxes with Astra Zeneca coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine are pictured in a fridge at St. Mary's Hospital, in Phoenix Park in Dublin, Ireland. Reuters
Boxes with Astra Zeneca coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine are pictured in a fridge at St. Mary's Hospital, in Phoenix Park in Dublin, Ireland. Reuters
Boxes with Astra Zeneca coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine are pictured in a fridge at St. Mary's Hospital, in Phoenix Park in Dublin, Ireland. Reuters
Boxes with Astra Zeneca coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine are pictured in a fridge at St. Mary's Hospital, in Phoenix Park in Dublin, Ireland. Reuters

Fraudsters offer 1 billion Covid-19 doses across EU, agency warns


Soraya Ebrahimi
  • English
  • Arabic

Fraudsters have offered governments across the EU a total of about 1 billion non-existent Covid-19 vaccine doses for €14 billion ($16.87bn), the bloc's anti-fraud agency said on Monday.

Middlemen are asking for payment in advance and giving no delivery details, said Ville Itala, head of the European anti-fraud office.

Mr Itala said pharmaceutical companies insist that they sell directly to governments.

"It's quite massive," he said. "They send an offer, which is not a real one. In fact, there is as such no vaccines attached to the offer from what we have seen so far."

The scams the agency was investigating came from professional criminals and individual opportunists in a long chain of intermediaries often leading outside the EU, Mr Itala said.

In Italy, authorities said they were investigating an offer for Covid-19 vaccines made by unidentified intermediaries to Veneto regional authorities amid warnings of growing vaccine fraud.

Mr Itala said the agency was not yet aware of counterfeit vaccines being pushed on the EU market but that was bound to come.

"Where there is a lot of money, the fraudsters find their way there," he said.

"There can be financial consequences but there is also another aspect – trust of the people.

"That's why it's important now to prevent this, so that people can trust that if they go to take the vaccine, they are the real ones."

The agency was working with EU governments, law enforcement agencies and pharmaceutical companies to bring criminals to justice.

It said it was not aware of an EU government falling for such scams.

Increasing fraud adds to problems in the EU's botched inoculation campaign, which has been marred by cuts in promised deliveries, introduction delays and some social resistance, especially to the AstraZeneca shot.

The bloc has so far administered vaccines to only about 5 per cent of its adult population – way behind Britain, Israel, the UAE and the US – compared to its target of 70 per cent by the end of summer.

Gully Boy

Director: Zoya Akhtar
Producer: Excel Entertainment & Tiger Baby
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi​​​​​​​
Rating: 4/5 stars

Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding

Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.

Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.

Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.

For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae

 

The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000

Engine 3.6L V6

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm

Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km

UAE tour of the Netherlands

UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures:
Monday, 1st 50-over match
Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match

Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg

Rating: 4/5

Spec%20sheet
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SM Town Live is on Friday, April 6 at Autism Rocks Arena, Dubai. Tickets are Dh375 at www.platinumlist.net

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat