Spanish National Police, in cooperation with INTERPOL, EUROPOL, EUIPO, and OLAF, seized over 66,000 counterfeit football shirts and national team kits in a joint operation.
The total weight of the counterfeit products reached 16 tons, with an estimated black market value of 2 million euros.
95 suspects were arrested during the operation. Searches were conducted in more than 15 locations across Spain, including Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, Elche, and Denia.
Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, authorities identified a large influx of counterfeit goods planned for entry into Spain, mostly copies of the Spanish national team jersey.
Similar operations took place in Canada and Hong Kong. In Canada, over 16,000 fake shirts and flags were seized, while Hong Kong police confiscated around 230,000 counterfeit items.
