Toronto police in Canada raided a warehouse containing counterfeit goods, seizing over 16,000 items including fake football jerseys and World Cup trophies valued at more than 3.56 million Canadian dollars (about 83.8 million baht). This marks the largest seizure of counterfeit football merchandise in Canadian history, occurring less than two weeks before the World Cup kicks off.
The Toronto Police Service held a press conference announcing the arrest of two male suspects along with a massive haul of counterfeit football merchandise, valued on the market at up to 3.56 million Canadian dollars (approximately 83.8 million baht).
This operation began after a special investigation unit preparing for the World Cup received a tip in May from Lipkus Law, a member of the Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network. This led to a search of a warehouse in Mississauga used as a storage and distribution center for goods sent to various retail stores.
Inside the warehouse, officers found more than 16,000 counterfeit football jerseys and national flags bearing forged trademarks of major global brands such as FIFA, Nike, Adidas, and Puma. They also discovered fake caps and two replica counterfeit World Cup trophies.
Authorities arrested two men: a 41-year-old from Milton and a 62-year-old from Mississauga. Both face charges of fraud involving losses exceeding 5,000 Canadian dollars, along with multiple related fraud offenses.
Robert Johnson, Deputy Chief of Toronto Police, stated, “This is a large-scale operation aimed at exploiting football fans and profiting from their love of the sport.” Meanwhile, Police Superintendent David Eklund noted that given the large volume of seized goods, the suspects likely have been running this illegal business for a long time. The proceeds from counterfeit merchandise often finance other organized crime networks.
Toronto is preparing to host six World Cup matches, including the opening game where Canada will face Bosnia and Herzegovina on 12 June 2026 GMT+7. The city expects over 300,000 tourists to visit, significantly increasing demand for souvenir merchandise.
David Lipkus, a representative from Lipkus Law, advised football fans to check the quality of stitching, fabric, and brand embossing when purchasing merchandise. He also recommended scrutinizing product tags for spelling errors. Importantly, if "premium brand" items are sold at unusually low prices, buyers should be suspicious that they may be counterfeit.
He concluded by warning consumers, “Buying counterfeit goods harms more than just the buyer; it funds illegal networks and could jeopardize your personal safety.” Anyone who suspects they have purchased counterfeit items is encouraged to report it to local police or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.