The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) Kuala Lumpur has seized more than 5,000 suspected counterfeit World Cup football jerseys during a raid at Jalan Petaling, Kuala Lumpur, after the items were allegedly sold to foreign tourists at inflated prices.
The operation, carried out on Friday, uncovered the activity believed to involve local individuals who hired foreign workers to manage the sales of the imitation jerseys.
KPDN Kuala Lumpur State Enforcement Chief Mohd Shahran Mohd Arshad said the raid began at 6pm and involved five premises comprising one storage facility and four stalls.
He said a total of 5,403 pieces of suspected counterfeit jerseys worth RM270,150 were seized during the operation.
“Six foreign workers from Bangladesh and Myanmar, including a woman aged between her 20s and 30s, were detained. They are believed to have been working at the premises and receiving wages,” he told reporters after the operation.
Mohd Shahran said checks found that some workers attempted to escape during the raid, while further inspections revealed the jerseys sold were categorised as Grade A and Grade B products.
He added that the storage facility also contained special machines used to print names and numbers on the jerseys, allowing sellers to customise the items for customers.
According to him, interviews with visitors showed that the jerseys were allegedly sold at higher prices to foreign tourists compared with local buyers.
He said locals could purchase the jerseys for around RM50 each, while foreign tourists were charged more than RM100 per piece.
The enforcement chief said the illegal operation was believed to generate significant profits, with the sellers capable of moving up to 100 jerseys daily during the World Cup season, bringing in estimated earnings of around RM5,000.
He added that initial investigations suggested the raided premises involved different syndicates, and authorities would continue efforts to identify the owners, tenants and other individuals linked to the activity.
Mohd Shahran also urged visitors to Jalan Petaling to report any suspected sale of counterfeit goods to KPDN for further action.
The case is being investigated under the Trade Marks Act 2019.
