Toronto Police Say Seizure of Alleged Counterfeit Soccer Jerseys Is Largest in Canadian History

Toronto police are calling a recent seizure of more than $3 million in counterfeit soccer jerseys the largest in Canadian history as the FIFA World Cup gets ready for kickoff next weekend.

Two men have been arrested and charged in connection with the investigation and police allege that proceeds from the multimillion-dollar counterfeit merchandise ring were being used to fund organized crime.

“This was a large-scale operation, designed to exploit fans and take advantage of their love for sports,” Deputy Chief Robert Johnson said during a June 1 press conference at Toronto police headquarters.

Superintendent David Ecklund said officers confiscated more than 16,000 counterfeit jerseys and flags that copied reputable brands like Nike, Adidas, and Puma. Officers also found two fake FIFA World Cup trophies. Ecklund said the counterfeit sports merchandise had an estimated street value of more than $3.5 million.

“Given the size of the seizure, we believe the two men were running the scam for some time,” Ecklund said. “We want people to feel confident they’re buying authentic products and not scammed by cheap fakes.”

The products were manufactured overseas, though investigators are still working to determine their country of origin, police said.

Tip Launches Probe

Investigators became aware of the sports merchandise scam after receiving a tip from Lipkus Law LLC early last month. The Toronto law firm, a member of the Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network, specializes in brand protection investigations.

The firm notified law enforcement about a warehouse in Mississauga that they suspected housed a significant amount of counterfeit items, such as sports jerseys, hats, flags, and other merchandise, police said.

Officers executed search warrants at the warehouse on May 26 and the sheer volume of goods led investigators to believe the operation supplied retailers and acted as a distributor of counterfeit products.

Lipkus Law co-founder David Lipkus declined to explain how his law firm first heard about the alleged operation, but told reporters that investigations can be sparked by customer complaints or marketplace investigations.

He urged consumers to remain alert when shopping online and to contact police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Network if they suspect a scam.

“A premium brand at a bargain basement price isn’t a discount, it is a red flag,” Lipkus said, and advised shoppers to watch for spelling and grammar mistakes on tags and labelling.

The Toronto police offered similar tips in a press release, noting that “if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is,” and advised consumers to only purchase merchandise from trusted retailers.

Forty-one-year-old Ramy Jaber of Milton, Ont., and 62-year-old Walid Sarhan of Mississauga were arrested and charged with fraud over $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 in connection with the investigation. They have also been charged with passing off goods with intent to deceive, and distributing counterfeit merchandise on a commercial scale.

Both men are scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 17.