Counterfeiters cashing in on coronavirus

The Hague, Apr 17 (AP) The European Union's police agency is warning that counterfeiters are cashing in on the coronavirus by selling products ranging from fake tests to substandard face masks.

Underscoring the ability of organized crime gangs to quickly adapt to service new markets, Europol says they are exploiting "shortages of genuine products and the anxieties of regular citizens" across the continent.

The products, mostly sold from on websites or offered on messaging apps, come from countries within the 27-nation EU, but also from India and China.

Europol Executive Director Catherine de Bolle says the counterfeit products "do not meet the required quality standards and pose a real threat to public health and safety." Europol says along with personal protection gear, criminals are selling fake pharmaceuticals such as the malaria medication chloroquine. (AP)

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