Five Social Security Workers Arrested in Venezuela for COVID-19 Vaccine Theft
The Scientific, Forensic and Criminal Investigations Corps (CICPC) of Venezuela arrested five workers of the Social Security Outpatient Clinic this Saturday for alleged theft of COVID-19 vaccines, informed Douglas Rico, director of the agency.
The arrest occurred at the Cua healthcare center in Rafael Urdaneta municipality, Miranda state, and was carried out by officials of the Division of Investigations of Crimes Against Public Health.
Cinco detenidas por hurtar vacunas contra la Covid-19 en Miranda.https://t.co/ZyVottCs5O #Cicpc pic.twitter.com/1sCtQTPtKX
— Douglas Rico (@DouglasRicoVzla) April 17, 2021
As Rico published on his social media accounts, after an alert was received from officials of the healthcare center regarding the theft of vaccines at the time of counting the batch, it was found that 8 units were absent from the batch. Therefore, CICPC officials engaged in the investigation deduced that they must have been stolen by the workers.
Vaccines for their coworkers
The identities of the detainees have been released by CICPC. They are Christ Mercedes Caraballo Escalona (27), Zulemily Johana Marrero Velazco (29), Emilia Beatriz Suarez Briceño (48), Elena Guevara López (53), and Melvis Arelys Tovar Serrano (49).
They allegedly stole the vaccines from a batch that had arrived from China, which was to be administered to their colleagues and other healthcare personnel who work at the same social security center.
The authorities assured that they will continue the investigations to recover the stolen items. The detainees have been placed under the order of the 25th Prosecutor’s Office of the Miranda State Public Ministry.
Featured image: CICPC agents arrested healthcare workers for alleged theft of COVID-19 vaccines. Photo courtesy of CICPC.
(RedRadioVE) by Victoria Torres
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SC/OH
