MPS delegate attends webinar on crime trends amidst COVID-19 pandemic

• Central localities enhance technological application amid pandemic
• COVID-19 vaccine fund officially launched as part of sustained anti-pandemic efforts

The event also saw the presence of Mr. Cory Dunne, U.S. DHS and Homeland Security Investigations Attaché in Vietnam, Mr. John Paul Pullicino, Country Manager of Pfizer Inc., representatives from various units under the Vietnamese Ministry of Health, General Department of Vietnam Customs, and Vietnam General Department of Market Surveillance.

Speaking at the webinar, Lieutenant General Nguyen Thanh Son stated that, since the COVID-19 pandemic brokeout in many countries around the world in 2020, it has greatly affected the health and lives of people as well as socio-economic development on a global scale.

The research and production of COVID-19vaccines is a great step forward in the current context, contributing to preventing and controlling the dangerous pandemic.

In the coming time, the COVID-19pandemic will see more complicated developments, especially in developing countries. In this context, many criminals will take advantage of the increasing demand for COVID-19 vaccines to produce and trade fake vaccines.

Lieutenant General Nguyen Thanh Son said that, over the past time, the Vietnamese MPS and the US Department of Homeland Security have successfully conducted joint investigations into many cases of fraud and illegal property appropriation related to trading of medical supplies admist the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has seen complicated developments, Vietnam is at risk of being a ​​​​target of fraudulent crimes or a transit country for fake COVID-19 vaccines. Therefore, the country’s law enforcement agencies should promote cooperation withCOVID-19 vaccine manufacturers.

In addition, Director Son hoped that the United States and Pfizer Inc. would have priority policies for Vietnamese people to get an access to authentic and qualified COVID-19 vaccines.

At the webinar, delegates shared important information about the authenticity, safety, and security of the supply chain of Pfizer vaccine, which is currently used in many countries in the world.