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Border Guard: Forged Covid test certificates used by travellers trying to enter Finland

The purpose of the counterfeit certificates is to evade mandatory health checks at border crossings.

ETIAS -passintarkastus Helsinki-Vantaan lentoasemalla.
The Border Guard is uncovering counterfeit corona certificates at points of entry. Image: Jani Saikko / Yle
  • Yle News

The Border Guard has uncovered dozens of forged Covid test certificates at border crossings since the end of March.

Forged certificates were allegedly presented at the Port of Helsinki and Helsinki-Vantaa Airport. The certificates have been used to avoid mandatory health inspections.

More than 20 suspected counterfeits have come to light, but the Gulf Coast Guard's crime prevention unit estimates that the actual number of forged certificates is much higher.

The unit is investigating who is behind the certificates and where they were obtained. Last week Yle reported that a Helsinki firm was selling fake Covid certificates for 70 euros.

The Finnish Coast Guard is working together with the Estonian police and border guard agency on the matter. The collaborating authorities have each discovered counterfeit corona test certificates in the port of Tallinn, presented by passengers traveling to Finland.