Spain dismantles counterfeiting network with 66,000 fake football shirts seized
Spanish law enforcement agents seized tens of thousands of counterfeit sports items in a multinational operation. The material, which weighed approximately 16 tonnes, was to be sold during the World Cup.
Spain dismantles counterfeiting network with 66,000 fake football shirts seized
Spanish law enforcement agents carried out a major international operation in which they seized more than 66,000 counterfeit sports items, including football shirts and complete kits. The illegal merchandise, totalling approximately 16 tonnes, was scheduled to be sold during the World Championship celebration.
The intervention was executed through more than fifteen raids on private residences and inspections of storage facilities. According to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), the value of damage avoided to rights holders exceeds seven million euros.
The investigation benefited from the collaboration of Europol, Interpol and the European Anti-Fraud Office. Several individuals linked to the scheme have already been brought before the courts and are undergoing detention procedures. The operation is part of the Cleantrade programme, an initiative aimed at dismantling organisations engaged in counterfeiting in Spanish territory.
The smuggling of sports items is not confined to the luxury sector. With increasing frequency, these networks take advantage of major international sporting competitions to inject illegal products into the market. During football world cups, official shirts become particularly sought-after items in underground commerce.
EUIPO estimates that textile fraud generates annual losses of approximately twelve billion euros for the European sector.
Source: rtvslo.si
Source: RTV SLO