Dubai shuts travel agency for selling PCR tests

Dubai shuts travel agency for selling PCR tests

The Commercial Compliance & Consumer Protection (CCCP) Sector in Dubai Economy shut down a travel agency in the Business Bay area, after the agency was found to have sold PCR testing services for Covid-19 and promoting the same secretly through WhatsApp, both in violation of the commercial activities permitted.

Competent medical facilities licensed by the Ministry of Health & Prevention and Dubai Health Authority (DHA) only are allowed to offer PCR testing services in Dubai.

CCCP investigated the travel agency after receiving a consumer note, expressing unhappiness at the quality of Covid-19 home inspection service provided. Field teams from CCCP collected information about the service provider and tracked the channels used to promote the service.

The travel agent through a WhatsApp business account asked customers to select an appropriate date, fill in their data, and attach copies of passports via an electronic link provided, before paying online for the test.

The travel agency was subsequently shut down and DHA was provided with information related to the laboratories that co-operated with the violator.

Abdulaziz Al Tannak, Director of the Commercial Control Department in CCCP, said: “The inspection teams from the Commercial