MADRID – In a major crackdown on counterfeit goods, the Madrid Fiscal and Borders Unit of the Guardia Civil, along with the Regional Customs Surveillance Area of the Tax Agency in Madrid, has seized over six million fake products.
Among these, a significant number were counterfeit football jerseys of teams participating in the Euro Cup and Copa America.
The operation took place in the industrial estate of Cobo Calleja in Fuenlabrada (Madrid). It involved five logistic operators. Furthermore, a potential sixth intervention is pending the verification of 4.5 tons of goods suspected to be counterfeit.
Complaint from brand
The investigation was launched following a complaint from a brand that could be affected by the counterfeit products. The Guardia Civil conducted inspections across five logistic operators in the Cobo Calleja industrial estate, yielding substantial results:
- The first operator had 3,367,412 counterfeit items.
- The second operator’s count reached 1,554,484 items.
- The third and fourth operators stored a combined total of 1,045,870 products.
- The fifth operator housed 32,508 items.
These six million products included a vast array of counterfeit football jerseys from various international teams that were competing in tournaments like the Euro Cup and Copa America.
Adding to the magnitude of this operation, a sixth logistic operator was found with over 4.5 tons of various items. These are suspected to be additional counterfeit products. These items are still pending verification but are believed to be poised for distribution through illicit channels.
The ongoing investigation aims to uncover the relationships between the different logistic operators and potentially other companies involved in these illicit activities.
This operation is part of the Guardia Civil and the Tax Agency’s Customs Surveillance Service’s broader efforts to combat fraud and the underground economy, ensuring adequate protection for end consumers.
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