Hong Kong Customs Seizes Around 30 Thousand Jersey Allegedly Fake Ahead of 2026 World Cup

Evidence that was successfully secured by the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department. (Source: Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department)

JAKARTA - Hong Kong authorities have announced that they have seized 230,000 suspected counterfeit goods worth around 20 million US dollars, including the national football team jersey that competed in the 2026 World Cup, hours before the four-year championship began.

The seizure included about 30,000 jerseys, some of which were so finely made that they were difficult to distinguish from the original team jerseys, said Wayne Chung, a senior inspector at Hong Kong's customs department, on Thursday.

"Most are replicas of the original players' jerseys, which are generally more expensive than the fan edition version because the design is better and made of higher quality materials," he said, launching The Associated Press (11/6).

All of the goods are intended for overseas markets, with almost 80 percent going to the United States, where the World Cup is co-hosted by Mexico, and Canada.

In addition to jerseys, shoes, watches, speakers, and handbags were also seized in the operation, which took place in part at logistics centers from late May to early June.

Counterfeit Louis Vuitton handbags and Rolex watches were displayed at Thursday's press conference.

Chung said he believed the other seized items may have been intended to meet the demand of tourists elsewhere. Authorities are still investigating the origin of the items.

A truck driver was arrested at a border checkpoint on a bridge linking Hong Kong to mainland China and neighboring casino hub Macau.

Meanwhile, five other people were arrested in connection with the sale of fake jerseys online. All of them have been released on bail.

Chung said anyone who imports, exports, sells, or possesses counterfeit goods for sale will face a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of around $64,000 if found guilty.