Dublin Airport border cops catch men attempting to enter Ireland using fake COVID-19 negative test certificates
The Rathkeale Rovers have been producing the false test results for people travelling throughout the Europe who need a negative result upon arrival into countries
The garda security check in place for arriving passengers into Dublin Airport
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In recent years in Ireland, alleged links between a small number of gardaí in the south of the country and associates of the crime group have formed part of a massive corruption investigation being led by the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI).
This week’s alert from Europol was not based on specific intelligence from gardaí who have been investigating their activities for at least 30 years but was based on information compiled from a number of European police forces.
On Monday, the agency warned that the Rathkeale Rovers are involved in using a mobile application which allows them to manually falsify test results.
Irish gang forging negative Covid-19 tests for European travellers, Europol warns Police agency says ‘Rathkeale Rovers’ involved in sophisticated counterfeits
Mon, Feb 1, 2021, 13:58 Updated: Mon, Feb 1, 2021, 17:57
Ireland and several other European countries have introduced legislation requiring proof of a recent PCR test showing a negative result for Covid-19 before allowing passengers into the country. Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times
Irish criminals are allegedly involved in the forging of negative Covid-19 tests to allow people travel within Europe, Europol has warned.
The European police agency said members of the Rathkeale Rovers gang, a group of Irish criminals operating in several European countries, are using a mobile phone application to “manually falsify test results” which are then sold onto travellers for hundreds of euro each.
COVID-19 testing Ireland: Warning over Irish gang making and selling fake negative test results
There have already been several cases throughout Europe of falsified negative results being offered for sale
Darren Somers, team leader, operations prepares to test at the Rocdoc Covid-19 testing centre at Dublin Airport (Image: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin)
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Irish Gang The Rathkeale Rovers Forging COVID-19 Tests For European Travellers
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Irish criminals have been forging negative COVID-19 tests for European travellers, according to a Europol report.
A gang known as the Rathkeale Rovers are said to be using a mobile app to manually falsify test results which are then sold onto travellers for hundreds of euro each.
Ireland and other European countries have introduced legislation requiring incoming travellers to provide proof of a negative PCR test.
Nicola Tallant, Investigations Editor with The Sunday World, joined us with more on this story.
Irish Gang The Rathkeale Rovers Forging COVID-19 Tests For European Travellers