Beijing police bust gang selling illegal nucleic acid tests

Four people have been detained and five are under investigation on Thursday for illegally arranging nucleic acid tests in Beijing, Pan Xuhong, deputy head and spokesperson of the municipal public security bureau said at a news conference.

According to Pan, due to the recent cluster outbreak of COVID-19 related to the Xinfadi agricultural wholesale market in Fengtai district, Beijing has made it clear that people traveling out of the city should present a negative nucleic acid test certificate within seven days to curb the spread of the epidemic. Those aiming for outbound trips can apply for nucleic acid testing at designated medical centers, which costs 180 yuan ($25.60) if they can't present a negative nucleic acid test result conducted within seven days of departure.

A gang of nine people led by a bar manager in Beijing was found to be advertising an "expedited" nucleic acid testing service on Sina Weibo with results available within 24 to 48 hours for 1,780 yuan ($252) each, nearly 10 times the testing fee charged by designated medical centers, Pan said. Members of the gang, who also solicited customers on WeChat, have each made 50 to 2,000 yuan out of the service.

Police quickly arrested the gang as it has "seriously disrupted the public order of negative nucleic acid testing", the police said .

Beijing reported 13 new local confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, adding to a total of 269 confirmed cases since the cluster outbreak began on June 11.

To curb the spread of the epidemic, the city has enhanced its nucleic acid testing capabilities and provided tests to more than 2.3 million city residents, Zhang Hua, deputy director of the Beijing Health Commission, said on Monday.