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  "path": "/2026/06/18/fake-football-shirts-kits-worth-775-000-seized-traders-camden-28816864/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-18T05:00:00.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
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  "textContent": "Raids have uncovered hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of fake kits in the lead up to the World Cup\n\nFootball fans have been warned about the dangers of fake football kits after more than 10,000 jerseys were confiscated from rogue sellers in Camden.\n\nThe value of the counterfeit kits – which campaigners warn could contain harmful toxins – totalled more than £775,000.\n\nThousands of suspected phony football items, including more than 800 England shirts, were also seized by UK Border Force in the lead-up to the World Cup, Metro can reveal.\n\nExperts cautioned that criminals are ‘cashing in’ on this summer’s football buzz, with purchases of fake shirts potentially fuelling modern slavery and human exploitation.\n\nRaids on Camden Market in north London since January 2025 have uncovered more than 10,000 sham football shirts and kits being sold by traders, according to data obtained by **Metro** from Casino.org research.\n\n##  Sign up for all of the latest stories\n\nStart your day informed with Metro's **News Updates** newsletter or get **Breaking News** alerts the moment it happens.\n\nThe crackdown on counterfeit jerseys appears to have ramped up in the weeks before the World Cup kicked in North America.\n\nCamden Council told this newspaper they seized more than 4,400 jerseys worth an estimated £442,500 between February and May this year alone.\n\nAuthorities have uncovered thousands of fake football jerseys on sale in Camden (Picture: Michael Nguyen/NurPhoto via Getty Images)\n\nFake football shirts appear to be flooding into the UK from abroad.\n\nBritish Border Force also seized almost 2,500 counterfeit football-related items in the first four months of this year.\n\nAmong these were 842 England football shirts.\n\nFootball supporters have been warned of the dangerous consequences of purchasing fake merchandise.\n\nChloe Long, Deputy Director General at The Anti-Counterfeiting Group, said: ‘Fake kits are not a harmless bargain. The profits bankroll organised crime, the goods meet no safety or quality standards, and legitimate clubs, retailers and fans all lose out.\n\n‘They are linked to modern slavery and human exploitation, and the kits themselves are frequently made with harmful dyes or toxins and fall apart after a few washes.’\n\nLong also warned that these figures are ‘just the tip of the iceberg’ of the fake football shirt problem, adding that a ‘far larger volume’ slips through.\n\nShe continued: ‘With the World Cup now well underway, demand for football shirts is soaring, and criminals are cashing in.’\n\nWith the official England home shirt retailing at £89.99, the figures raise questions about how many supporters are turning to unofficial alternatives ahead of the tournament.\n\nCampaign groups and MPs backed calls for clubs to consider how expensive their jerseys are off the back of this article.0\n\nNiall Couper, Chair Football Action Network, told **Metro** : ‘These figures should also prompt football to ask why so many supporters are turning to the counterfeit market in the first place.\n\n‘At a time when many people are struggling with the cost of living, that puts them beyond the reach of a lot of supporters, particularly those with children who want the latest kit every season.\n\nEngland supporters have been warned about the dangers of buying sham football merch (Picture: JAIME REINA / AFP via Getty Images)\n\n‘Clubs, manufacturers and the wider game should work together to ensure official merchandise is accessible to more supporters.’\n\nThe Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), in a statement backed by Parliament’s cross-party group on football fans, said: ‘Clubs should commit to a minimum two-year cycle on replica shirts and training kit. It’s a more sustainable approach and would also reduce costs for those who want to purchase branded items.’\n\nBrentford, as well as many EFL clubs, have implemented two-year cycles on their kits in the past.\n\nThe FSA added: ‘As well as costs we’d like to see kits manufactured with an ethical procurement policy in place to ensure workers receive a fair wage and good working conditions.\n\n‘This won’t be the case with counterfeit shirts, which is a good reason for fans to avoid them.’\n\nCouncillor Camron Aref-Adib, Cabinet Member for Finance and Cost of Living, said: ‘We recommend football fans buy their kit from official stores ahead of the World Cup – while you may think you’ve found a bargain, counterfeit clothes are often poorly made with hazardous materials.\n\n‘Our trading standards team will continue to seize counterfeit trade to ensure our borough remains a safe and fair place to shop, live and work.’\n\n**_Metro has approached the Football Association and the Home Office for comment._**\n\n******Get in touch with our news team by emailing us atwebnews@metro.co.uk.******\n\n**For more stories like this,** check our news page.\n\nComment now Comments \nAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source\n",
  "title": "Fake football shirts and kits worth £775,000 seized from traders in Camden"
}