Operation against sports counterfeiting: more than 66,000 counterfeit shirts seized and 95 arrested in Spain
Spain's National Police has seized more than 66,000 counterfeit sports shirts and kits, weighing more than 16 tonnes, in an international operation against piracy linked to the 2026 World Cup.
Operation against sports counterfeiting: more than 66,000 counterfeit shirts seized and 95 arrested in Spain
Spain's National Police has seized more than 66,000 counterfeit sports shirts and kits, with a total weight exceeding 16 tonnes, as part of an international operation against sports piracy related to the 2026 World Cup, which is being held in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The operation has resulted in 95 people being arrested during interventions carried out in Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga, Elche and Denia. Additionally, officers have searched more than 15 locations, including industrial warehouses, private homes, open-air markets and storage points linked to courier companies.
The investigation began in April, before the tournament started, when officers detected an increase in the flow of replica kits destined for Spanish territory. A large proportion of these garments imitated the official design of Spain's national team, although there were also copies of other national teams and clubs whose players are competing in the tournament. According to the authorities, the quality of these goods was notably inferior to that of the original products, and they were destined for street markets, illegal street trade, online sales platforms and social networks.
The data on economic damage reflects the scale of the dismantled network: the seized items are valued at more than €2,000,000 on the black market, but the actual damage to the holders of intellectual property rights, the federations and the brands whose designs were copied exceeds €7,000,000.
The investigation remains open. The National Police has announced that it will maintain operational activity until the end of the World Cup, scheduled for 19 July, with the aim of continuing to detect and block distribution channels for counterfeit products, not ruling out further arrests.
The operation is part of the EMPACT programme, the European platform for combating criminal threats, and has joint direction from Europol and Interpol, with the collaboration of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and police forces from multiple European countries and other continents.
Source: Google News GR — Crime (el)