Five arrested in Albacete for selling counterfeit World Cup sportswear
Civil Guard officers have arrested five people in Albacete after seizing more than 1,700 counterfeit sports garments, including replica World Cup national team shirts. The estimated value on the black market amounts to approximately €172,000.
Five arrested in Albacete for selling counterfeit World Cup sportswear
Personnel from the Tax and Border Branch office in Albacete have dismantled a distribution network dealing in counterfeit sports products through five arrests in the municipality of Aguas Nuevas. The operation was carried out following the detection of suspicious postal shipments during routine inspections of parcel companies, according to details published by ABC.
In total, officers confiscated 1,730 counterfeit clothing items. Of these, 1,345 were shirts from national teams competing in the current World Cup, whilst the remaining 385 corresponded to complete kits. The price these garments would have fetched in irregular channels is estimated at around €172,000.
The five arrested individuals, residents of Aguas Nuevas aged between 32 and 50 years, were listed as recipients of the seized packages. Upon examining the contents, officials confirmed that the garments precisely copied the branding of a recognised sportswear company, but lacked the manufacturer's verification mechanisms and did not have documentation justifying their lawful origin.
Investigators established that the items were purchased online on the Asian continent at prices well below the originals. From there, they travelled to various locations across Spanish territory via courier services. Intermediary sellers subsequently placed them in the underground market, primarily through street vending. The car boot sales at fairs and summer celebrations in Albacete province constituted the final sales point.
The judicial proceedings have been transferred to the Investigation Section of Court number 1 of First Instance in Albacete, which is acting as the duty court. All of the seized merchandise has been placed in judicial custody.
Source: ABC