The latest attack took place on Friday in Milan.

A number of people were arrested and the financial police seized quantities of fake covid passports that were sold via the Telegram app for large numbers.

The sellers demanded payment in cryptocurrency.

Italian police suspect that rogue doctors are also involved in several cases, by issuing false vaccination certificates.

- This market has literally exploded, says Lucia Muscari, head of the Polizia Postale in Genoa.

A police unit that deals with wiretapping and reconnaissance of mobile traffic and internet around the clock.

Recently, a 17-year-old guy was arrested after seeing how he sold fake covid passports online.

In just over a month, he had earned over SEK 200,000.

- Those who want to buy covid passports are people who do not have the slightest intention of getting vaccinated but still want access to gyms and restaurants and other public places, as well as workplaces, without covid testing themselves, says Lucia Muscari.

Stricter rules make workouts even more attractive

Italy is now also introducing new stricter rules for passports and it will no longer be possible to get tested instead of getting vaccinated.

This makes the illegal covid passes even more attractive.

- We see that there is a large supply and a great demand, not only here in Italy, but also in Europe.

The 17-year-old we arrested collaborated with Russian hackers, says Fabio Ferrari, who also works at the police special unit.

He shows chats and price lists with even quantity discounts for families who want to order fake passports for everyone.

- What people do not realize is that they hand over their ID and patient documents to deeply rogue people and that this information is then resold, says Fabio Ferrari.

Fake passports with fictitious or historical names, such as even Adolf Hitler, also occur.

Seven million unvaccinated

Italy has a high vaccination rate with 77 percent fully vaccinated and many waiting for the second or third dose.

But with its large population of 60 million inhabitants, it still has seven million unvaccinated.

- That is why our work is so important, in the fight against stopping the infection, we must stop the fake covid passes, says Lucia Muscari and continues:

- Otherwise, we let in, without knowing it, people who are not vaccinated but pretend to be.