Travellers fined over forged vaccine certificates

Two British men have been fined after admitting to using forged vaccination certificates to travel to Malta.

Ayoubb Mohamed Abdulahi, 23 and Ahmad Jihan Jibreel Qundil, 22 both from London were arrested at the airport yesterday after presenting forged vaccine certificates to the authorities.

Police Inspector Hubert Gerada, prosecuting, said that during their questioning, the men had told the police that they had forged the documents, wanting to travel to Malta.

Arraigned before magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras this morning, Abdulahi and Qundil pleaded guilty to making a false declaration to the authorities and knowingly making use of a falsified document.

Legal aid lawyer Christopher Chircop told the court that the men were sorry for their actions and pointed out that it was their first offence.

The court, after taking into account their early guilty plea and cooperation with the police, fined the men €900 each.