The Songjiang District’s procuratorate is investigating a case where two people purchased fake COVID-19 negative test results in order to return to China from the Philippines, officials announced on Wednesday.

Chinese in the Philippines who want to return to China are required to have negative results from tests taken within the previous three days.

The 23-year-old men, surnamed Yu and Tang, have been working in the Philippines but wanted to return home.

The two tested positive twice on August 30 and September 3 last year. As a result, they spent 34,000 yuan (US$ 5,260) to buy false medical reports from St. Luke’s Medical Center in the Philippines through an agency.

Two days later, they arrived at Shanghai Pudong International Airport where they tested positive and were transferred to a designated quarantine location.

The Songjiang police began investigating the case in October and the two were released on bail. Last month, they were handed over to the Songjiang procuratorate.