World

Mexico seizes 5700 doses of fake Russian COVID-19 vaccines bound for Honduras

March 19, 2021 2:01 pm

[Source: TVNZ]

Mexican customs officials have seized purported vials of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine en route to Honduras that the Russian entity that bankrolled the vaccine’s development says today are fake.

The seizure came aboard a private plane in the Gulf coast state of Campeche, according to a statement from Mexico’s tax agency.

Customs agents and soldiers found 1,155 vials containing more than 5,700 doses inside two coolers packed with ice and sodas.

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The crew and Honduran passengers were turned over to the Attorney General’s Office.

Mexican officials did not identify the doses as fake, but the Russian Direct Investment Fund highlights in a statement that after reviewing photographs of the packaging, they determined the vaccine to be fake.

It says the Russian Health Ministry would cooperate with Mexican authorities to analyse the contents of the vials.