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Madrid dismantles warehouse with thousands of fake Mundial de Fútbol shirts
The Policía Municipal de Madrid has dismantled a major storage site for counterfeit Mundial de Fútbol shirts in Arganzuela. The operation resulted in two arrests, thirteen people under investigation, and nearly 6,700 garments seized, with an estimated value of 670,000 euros.
Most of the goods consisted of shirts from teams participating in the Mundial de Fútbol. The seizure comes at a time of high demand, when many fans are looking for kits to watch the matches, celebrate victories, or wear their team's colours during the tournament.
The investigation began after suspicious movements were detected in several storage units in the district. Officers observed people coming and going with bags and backpacks over several weeks, a pattern that pointed to a possible network distributing counterfeit clothing.
The operation allowed police to intervene in thirteen storage units linked to the activity. The garments were stored there before being distributed to various points of sale, making this police action more than just a simple product seizure: it affects the supply chain that was feeding part of the illegal market in the city.
The case remains open. Police are now working to identify the tenants of some spaces and determine the role of each person under investigation. The operation could also help trace where the shirts were destined and which shops or sales channels were receiving them.
For buyers, the intervention serves as a warning. Fake shirts may seem like a cheap option, but they are part of a circuit with no guarantees, which harms legal trade and takes advantage of major sporting events to move a lot of money in a short time.
Arganzuela appears in this operation as a key logistics point. Its location, connections, and the presence of storage units and small warehouses facilitate the rapid movement of goods, both for legal activities and for networks operating outside the law.
The raid gives a very specific image of the Mundial de Fútbol in Madrid: not everything happens in bars, on giant screens, or in official shops. Every major event also activates a parallel market that moves through neighbourhoods, warehouses, and discreet businesses, forcing the city to reinforce controls just as demand surges.