Authorities in Qatar said Wednesday that they had seized 144 counterfeit World Cup trophies, the latest raid on the market ahead of the football tournament, which begins later this month.
On Wednesday, the interior ministry made the revelation, stating that officers had carried out the operation “acting on a piece of information about a website that promotes the sale of cups that mimic the true shape of the World Cup.”
It published a picture of the 144 life-size trophies spread out on the ground and promised to follow “further legal procedures”.
The location of the trophies or whether any suspects had been detained were not disclosed by the ministry.
FIFA, the governing body of football, and Qatari authorities have recently increased their warnings against selling or purchasing fake World Cup merchandise.
FIFA, the governing body of football, and Qatari authorities have recently increased their warnings against selling or purchasing fake World Cup merchandise.
Following the sale of unique licence plates in online auctions in June, Qatar issued a warning to motorists that it was unlawful to display a World Cup logo on their vehicle licence plates.
Five people were detained by the police a month earlier for selling fake World Cup-branded clothing.
They conducted a factory raid in the Gulf state at the end of 2021 to seize illegally produced perfume in bottles bearing the World Cup logo.
