Police have siezed 3,000 fake Colombia soccer jerseys which were being sold as official merchandise for up to 10 times their actual value, according to reports from local media.
In the areas of Ricuarte, Soacha, and Veraguas in Colombia’s capital Bogota, more then 3,000 fake jerseys with similar appearance to the team’s official shirts were seized by the police, reported Colombia’s Caracol Radio.
The fake shirts which have an informal street value of $6 were being sold by vendors to unsuspecting customers for up to 10 times that price, under the impression that they were getting the real thing.
“More than 3,000 fake shirts with fake logos of the Colombian national football team were being sold illegally in the capital and in some municipalities of Cundinamarca,” said the Police Commander of the central state of Cundinamarca, Colonel Fernando Torres.
The official added that the during the operation they caught a fugitive wanted by the Prosecutor General’s Office on charges of trademark counterfeiting. They could face a sentence of up to five years in prison if convicted.
Much of Colombia has been transformed into a sea of gold in recent weeks as World Cup fever grips the country, with plenty of fans sporting the bright yellow national jersey on Saturday as Colombia won their first match against Greece 3-0 in what was the country’s first appearance at the international soccer tournament in 16 years.
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