Interpol on Wednesday said police have seized 17,000 fake COVID19 testing kits, which were recovered during raids against illicit food and drink products in 77 countries.
According to media reports, fake or substandard products worth $40 million (34.5 million euros) have been seized by officials across the world.
Police have arrested 407 people during the operation, carried out from December 2019-June 2020, the reports said.
According to Interpol, based in the southeastern French city of Lyon, the seized products include contaminated dairy products, meat from illegally slaughtered animals and food products falsely labelled as medicinal cures.
The news of the seizure of fake COVID19 testing kits comes at a time when the virus has affected more than 15 million people across the world till Wednesday.
The United States is worst-hit by the COVID19 pandemic, followed by Brazil and India.
Police have reportedly intercepted thousands of fake medical products as countries worldwide rushed to secure supplies while announcing lockdowns to contain the spread of COVID19.
“As countries around the world continue their efforts to contain COVID-19, the criminal networks distributing these potentially dangerous products show only their determination to make a profit,” Interpol secretary general Jurgen Stock said in a statement.
“Other illicit products recovered included cosmetics, footwear, clothing, handbags, car parts, electronics, tobacco and medicines, worth an estimated $3.1 million,” Interpol added.