Customs arrested 6 targeting World Cup counterfeits

Hong Kong Customs have arrested six people in a 16 day operation targeting World Cup 2026 counterfeits, seizing about 230,000 suspected fake items, worth around 156 million dollars.

Customs seizes in total 30,000 counterfeit jerseys, mainly of popular teams.

According to customs, the seized counterfeit jerseys are of relatively high quality with details. Some jerseys also bear the brands' hang tags and come in individual packaging, in order to deceive customers. but with careful inspection, differences can still be identified. For example, an authentic jersey's team logo is more refined, while the counterfeit version is rougher. Officials say the difference is clearly visible when held up in light and can be felt by touch.

Most fake jerseys are the so-called "player-version" ones, which can command higher market prices, valued between 1100 to 1300 dollars each. These jerseys are intended for shipment overseas, with 80 percent destined for the Americas.

With the Would Cup underway, Hong Kong Customs is reminding everyone to buy jerseys and other items from official brand distributor, and to watch out for defects when shopping online.

Over the 16 day operation, Customs cracked 29 cross-border cases. including one which took place at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, where a 36 year old driver was arrested.

Another five cases were detected through online patrols, where five men aged between 17 and 30 were arrested.