The outbreak of COVID-19 highlighted the ease and speed with which an infectious disease can spread across borders and also demonstrated the way in which a major disease outbreak can be exploited by criminals to make a profit. Organized crime groups took advantage of the situation, trading in fake and fraudulent personal protection and medical products, including masks, testing kits, and COVID-19 vaccines.

As well as compounding the effects on individuals, families, and communities and increasing the pressure on health services, these criminal activities can have a direct impact on the progression of an outbreak itself. For example, in the case of vaccines, not only the individuals who receive fake or fraudulent vaccines are potentially exposed to health risks, but the population as a whole can be affected. As people relax restriction measures assuming they are protected, many who are allegedly “vaccinated” could get seriously sick, thereby fueling vaccine mistrust. While many factors influence vaccine hesitancy, this would further undermine governmental health measures and lead to a protraction of the disease in human and susceptible animal populations.