Covid forgery ring uncovered in Mozambique

Four suspected members of a counterfeit ring producing fake Covid-19 negative certificates have been arrested, the authorities say.

The gang’s operations centred around the Ressano Garcia border post where people need negative Covid-19 results to travel to neighbouring South Africa, Mozambique’s National Criminal Investigation Service (Sernic) said.

Two suspects were arrested in mid-March and the others on Monday in the capital, Maputo, Sernic spokesperson Hilario Lole said.

Three of those arrested were government health workers - another was someone who touted their services, he said.

The gang charged between $50 (£36) and $60 for each "test" with a guaranteed negative result.

It is not easy to get a free Covid-19 test at government-run hospitals for the purposes of travel - and private clinics tend to charge around $100 for a test.

Many Mozambicans travel to South Africa for work or to buy goods to resell back home.