Coronavirus: Chinese man Zhang Tianxing arrested in Peru for illegal tests using stolen kits
- Suspect was caught as he was about to take samples from two women at their house
- Police found backpack with 25 Covid-19 tests and other medical supplies at his home
Police in Lima on Sunday arrested a Chinese citizen for illegally conducting rapid Covid-19 tests on the public with newly delivered kits stolen from Peru’s health ministry.
Zhang Tianxing, 36, was arrested in the Brena district of Lima as he was about to take samples from two women at the door of their house, police said.
He “was proceeding to carry out rapid tests for Covid-19 that he had stolen” from the Lima Sur health authority where he worked, according to a police statement.
Zhang was wearing a mask and a light blue medical apron at the time of his arrest by the state security police.
Both women had paid him to carry out a rapid home test, without health ministry approval.
“When questioned, he acknowledged he was not authorised to carry out this rapid test and that the Rapid Diagnostic Tests had been stolen from the Directorate of Integrated Health Network of Lima Sur where he had worked,” the police said.