Fake masks glutting market

At a time when people across the country find alternative ways to cover most vulnerable parts of their body, people are selling fake masks putting at risk the lives of thousands of people. The Central Crime Branch (CCB) Police caught vendors selling fake masks with a fake N-95 seal at premium prices last night in Bengaluru. The police seized around 12,300 masks of worth Rs. 20 lakh and were shocked to learn that the accused had already sold fake masks of worth Rs. 1.05 crore.

The accused used normal cloth to make masks and put fake N95 seals on them to make easy money. Incidents like these make one question, whether we as humans, have truly stopped empathizing with one another. Interpol has also sounded alert for fake medical products, not just in physical markets but also on e-commerce platforms.

With demand for medical supplies soaring globally, countries are being put on high alert against counterfeit products such as disposable surgical masks, hand sanitizers, anti-viral and anti-bacterial medicines, test kits and endless other essential healthcare products that are a necessity at the moment.

At least 121 people have been arrested from across the globe and potentially dangerous pharmaceuticals worth $14 million have been seized. Some racketeers were also found selling products like ‘Corona Spray’ to fool innocent people.

People across the world are immorally and unduly taking advantage of the Corona fear among masses, trying to encash this opportunity by making consumers pay a big price for fake products, both monetarily and by putting the lives of millions at risk.

Most people, like the accused in Bengaluru, are using fear mongering as a handy tool and paving way for their personal gains. Countries are selling defective healthcare equipment to other countries, prices of essentials are sky rocketing because even some vendors selling genuine essential commodities, treat the Pandemic as a profit making opportunity.

Everybody seems to be ripping each other off when we should actually be standing with each other and supporting one another in times of peril such as these.

With around 32 deaths in India and over 37,000 deaths worldwide as of this morning, are we still going to treat this pandemic as a joke and watch racketeers dabble with the lives of innocent people?

Rifa Deka,

Guwahati