Two suspects that forged passes for vehicles used for epidemic prevention have been placed under criminal detention by the Shanghai police after they used the counterfeit passes to profit.

Since Shanghai was placed under lockdown to stop the transmission of the Omicron variant, local families have been heavily relying on online purchasing of daily necessities.

Suppliers of basic goods like food and daily necessities have to transport the goods to residential compounds. In order to drive around the city, they have to obtain special passes from the related authorities.

The police in Qingpu district was tipped off by the public in early April that a suspicious truck moved to several compounds in the district transporting only a small amount of goods every time.

The Qingpu police revealed through an investigation that the truck did not have the pass for vehicles for epidemic prevention. The two suspects, who are siblings surnamed Li, were caught by the police on April 14 and held under suspicion of forging passes.

The elder brother, who does business trading fruits, said he smelled business opportunity during the lockdown when he noticed a huge demand for fruits.

He conspired with his younger brother who forged the vehicle passes and other certificates with official seals using computer software to make illegal profits through the transportation and sale of all kinds of products.

The two siblings have been put under criminal compulsory measures by the Qingpu police and the case is still under investigation.

The police warned that any organization or individual forging or trading epidemic prevention passes will be punished for violations of law.