Fake kits worth £18m seized by police during World Cup
Summary
Police in the UK seized over £18 million worth of fake football shirts during the World Cup due to safety worries. These counterfeit kits are much more flammable and may harm the skin, especially for children, compared to genuine shirts.Key Facts
- More than 220,000 fake football shirts and kits were recovered by UK police in a special operation called Operation Bloxwich.
- One seizure included 1,618 counterfeit shirts from a Birmingham warehouse, featuring copies of popular players like Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.
- Fire services tested fake shirts and found they caught fire and melted quickly, unlike genuine shirts that resisted burning.
- Fake kits are cheaper, sometimes sold for £12, while official shirts can cost £85 or more.
- Counterfeit shirts are not regulated for health or safety and may contain harmful dyes.
- The fake shirts are made and sold by criminal gangs who target popular events like the World Cup and the Premier League season.
- Buying counterfeit shirts may support illegal activities and pose dangers to wearers.
- The police and fire services warn that the risk of injury from fake kits outweighs any savings from the lower price.
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