Edinburgh seizes ~58,000 fake football shirts worth £5.5 mln

Published Jul 14, 12:41 PM UTC

Trading standards officers in Edinburgh seized approximately 58,000 counterfeit international football shirts worth an estimated £5.5 million in one of the largest raids of its kind in the UK. The fake strips, including Scotland and England kits, were intended for sale during the ongoing World Cup finals. The City of Edinburgh Council's Trading Standards Team conducted the operation with assistance from Police Scotland following intelligence-led investigations. Councillor Neil Ross called it a 'tremendous result' and warned that counterfeit goods undermine legitimate businesses and may fail safety standards. The Scottish Football Association cautioned that fake merchandise diverts funds from community clubs and charities, and may be linked to organized crime and human exploitation. Investigations into the source and supply routes are continuing.