Interpol Seizes Thousands of Fake COVID-19 Vaccines From Smugglers in Africa, China

The International Criminal Police Organization or Interpol announced on Wednesday that it had confiscated thousands of fake doses of COVID-19 vaccines from smugglers in South Africa and China.

Interpol's head issued a warning that the confiscated fake COVID-19 vaccines could just be the tip of the iceberg.

Around 400 vials, equivalent to around 2,400 doses of fake COVID-19 vaccines were seized from a warehouse outside of Johannesburg, South Africa. Authorities have also confiscated counterfeit 3M masks and arrested three Chinese nationals and a Zambian national during the operation, according to a Business Insider report.

Around the same time in China, law enforcement officials have arrested 80 people believed to be linked to the seized goods. Authorities have also uncovered additional 3,000 vials of fake COVID-19 vaccines made from a saline solution.

An "Orange Notice" from Interpol was issued earlier this year, cautioning police forces worldwide to prepare for organized crime networks targeting COVID-19 vaccines, both online and physically.

"Whilst we welcome this result, this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to COVID-19 vaccine-related crime," Interpol secretary-general Juergen Stock said as ABC Net reported.

Interpol also cautioned that any COVID-19 vaccine being advertised on websites or the dark web would not be legitimate and might not be tested. The agency added that it could pose dangers and risks to its users.

Interpol, who supports national authorities working to protect the public, said it was also receiving reports of fake COVID-19 vaccine distribution and scam attempts targeting health facilities such as nursing homes.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Public Security said that the Chinese government placed great importance on the COVID-19 vaccine security.

"Chinese police are conducting a targeted campaign to prevent and crack down on crimes related to vaccines, proactively investigating and combating crimes related to vaccines in accordance with the law," the spokesperson said in a New York Daily News report.

The spokesperson added that China is cooperating with Interpol agents when it comes to the prevention of such crimes.

COVID-19 Vaccines

Meanwhile, a survey involving 14 countries showed that confidence in COVID-19 vaccines is growing, as well as people's willingness to have the shots, according to a Reuters report.

The survey, conducted by Imperial College London's Institute of Global Health Innovation and polling firm YouGov, found that people's trust in the vaccines has increased in nine out of 14 countries involved.

Some of the countries involved in the study were France, Japan, and Singapore. These countries had earlier expressed their doubts about the vaccine.

The survey also found that residents in the U.K. are the most willing to have the shots, with 77 percent saying that they would take a COVID-19 shot if one was available that week.

This is higher than the previous 55 percent in November or before the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine gained regulatory approval for use in the U.K.

Meanwhile, regulators in the U.K. and four other countries have announced their rules to fast-track the development of tweaked COVID-19 vaccines, ensuring that the vaccines can still be effective when it comes to the different variants of the disease.

Authorized COVID-19 vaccines that are modified to fight new variants of coronavirus would not require a new approval or lengthy clinical studies, according to an Associated Press report.

WATCH: US Investigators Warn of COVID-19 Vaccine Fraud - From Associated Press