Riga (dpa) – Five people who presented forged negative coronavirus test certificates at Tallinn Airport have been detained, according to Estonian police.
The five presented certificates supposedly issued by a private medical lab. However, a check by officers revealed they were fakes, authorities said on Thursday, according to local media.
According to Interior Minister Kristian Jaani, law enforcement had received a tip about the counterfeits from the private lab, leading police to double check the documents of some 500 airport passengers.
The five fake test certificates were discovered in the process, he said. Criminal proceedings have been initiated against the persons concerned, he said at a government press conference in Tallinn.
To contain the coronavirus and the spread of various virus variants, many countries, including Estonia, have tightened their entry rules. Travelers must now present a medical certificate of a negative coronavirus test upon arrival from certain countries.
GNA