Two men have been charged with fraud after the Canada police seized over 16,000 counterfeit jerseys and other items in an operation described as the largest bust of fake football merchandise in the country’s history ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup starting in nine days. 

The operation announced by the Toronto Police Service (TPS) on Monday, stating that the knock-off merchandise purportedly to be sanctioned by FIFA, Nike, Adidas, and Puma were discovered at a warehouse in Mississauga after authorities received a tip-off about possible fraudulent activities. 

“Two men have been arrested following what Toronto Police say is the largest seizure of counterfeit soccer jerseys ever recorded in Canada. The investigation began on May 12 after Lipkus Law alerted authorities to a suspected warehouse containing counterfeit merchandise,” the Toronto Police said in a statement. 

The TPS added, “The tip prompted Toronto Police to launch an investigation into the operation.”

Speaking about the operation, Superintendent David Ecklund said that the confiscated merchandise, which included named-branded jerseys, flags and counterfeit FIFA World Cup trophy, were estimated to worth around $3.5 million in street value. 

Police further alleged that the warehouse where the items were found was operated by Amana Trading Company and the two suspects arrested in connection to the case, identified as Ramy Jaber, 41, and Walid Sarhan, 62, had been in the business of supplying fake merchandise to retail stores for some time. 

“We seized more than 16,000 name-brand jerseys and flags, along with two counterfeit FIFA World Cup trophies, with an estimated street value exceeding $3.5. Given the size of this seizure, we believe the two men had been operating this scheme for some time. They acted as distributors, supplying counterfeit merchandise to retail stores.” Mr Ecklund said. 

The Peoples Gazette gathered that both Messrs Jaber and Sarhan were subsequently charged with several offences, including possession of property obtained by crime valued at over $5,000.

Millions of people are expected to attend the 2026 World Cup set to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, creating lucrative markets for individuals in the sports merchandise industry. 

Two stadiums — Toronto (BMO Field) and Vancouver (BC Place) — are the two venues selected in Canada for the tournament and will host 13 matches throughout the tournament. 

“Counterfeit merchandise is a known concern during major sporting events, including the FIFA World Cup,” Mr Ecklund stated. 

He added, “For criminals, it is a crime of opportunity. They know fans are eager to support their favourite teams and exploit that excitement. In many cases, proceeds from counterfeit sales help fund organised crime, including human trafficking.”