Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Mathilde Grandjean

UK police seize £18million worth of counterfeit football shirts and kits

Football Police
  • Police seized counterfeit football shirts and kits valued at over £18 million, removing more than 220,000 fake items from sale since January 2026 during a nationwide crackdown.
  • The operation, led by the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (Pipcu) and intensified around the World Cup, resulted in six arrests and targeted online marketplaces, apps, and market stalls.
  • Authorities warned that counterfeit shirts are often produced in unsafe conditions, may contain harmful materials, and their sales provide a key revenue stream for organised crime groups.
  • Separately, football fans face paying up to £90 for replica shirts, with eight Premier League clubs increasing prices, raising concerns that loyal supporters are being priced out.
  • Consumer experts criticised the price hikes as “blatant greed,” while the Football Association advised fans to avoid counterfeit products due to quality issues and their negative impact on funding the national game.

IN FULL

More than 220,000 fake football shirts seized by police in major crackdown

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
British Embassy quashes Winnie-the-Pooh return rumors, keeping the famed bear in New York
It turns out Winnie-the-Pooh and his fluffy friends aren’t being bear-napped from their longtime home at the New York Public Library
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
79 Nostalgic Photos That Take ’80s Kids Straight Back To Their Childhoods
80s had everything: bright neon colors, ABBA, Queen, and Madonna on the radio, huge power suits, and poofy hair that is now only associated with hair metal bands. If you love this decade, take a trip down memory lane with these pics from r/80s, where people share nostalgic items and…
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
Billy Corgan defends decades-long friendship with Marilyn Manson
Billy Corgan haș defended his friendship with Marilyn Manson, insisting that just because he stood by the rocker amid sexual abuse allegations, it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have “an opinion”.
BANG Premier
BANG Premier
Ancestors all around – millions of dead people linger in Americans’ memories
Halloween kicks off a series of religious and cultural festivals to honor the dead, including All Saints’ Day, All Souls’ Day and the Day of the Dead. But deceased loved ones don’t disappear from people’s social worlds once the ghost and skeleton decorations come down.
The Conversation
The Conversation
“Like We’re Peasants”: Jenna Ortega Enrages Her Fans After Revealing How She Feels About Interacting With Them
Jenna Ortega has angered some fans after opening up about the pressure of meeting them and explaining why she doesn't always feel comfortable stopping for photos.
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
Raw vs fresh: Is this brand's 'Michelin Dog Star' food worth the hype?
Billed as the nation’s top-rated dog food, here’s why your pet might be better off eating human-grade ingredients
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play