Domestic Trade officers seize RM500,000 worth of counterfeit World Cup jerseys in Chow Kit area
FAZRIK KAMARUDIN
New Straits Times21 June 2018
KUALA LUMPUR: A syndicate selling counterfeit jerseys of countries involved in the ongoing Fifa World Cup turned an apartment into a store for thousands of the items in a bid to evade detection by the authorities.
But all their best efforts came to naught as Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry enforcement officers raided the apartment today.
The ministry’s Kuala Lumpur Trade Description Unit head Ahmad Wildan led the team of 17 officers in raiding the apartment in the Chow Kit area, seizing 25,000 counterfeit jerseys worth more than RM500,000.
The raid came about after media reports highlighted the presence of foreign “businessmen” who were taking advantage of the World Cup to sell the counterfeit jerseys.
Kuala Lumpur ministry enforcement chief Low Swee Hon said this was one of the biggest hauls for the division this year.
Kuala Lumpur ministry enforcement chief Low Swee Hon (Left) said this was one of the biggest hauls for the division this year. Pic by NSTP/EMAIL
“We raided two business premises and an apartment unit that was turned into a secret store that believed has been operating for a year.
“We arrested five people – a Malaysian woman, three Pakistani men and an Indonesian man. They were remanded to assist in our investigation.
“We conducted the operation after receiving information on the sale of various brands of pirated jerseys, the sales of which went up when entering World Cup season,” she told reporters when met at the site.
Low said the syndicate would take orders from wholesalers and traders at their “business outlet” and requested their customers to collect the items an hour later.
“Orders would be made at the premises using a catalog... the World Cup jerseys are sold for between RM20 and RM30, depending on the quality.”
Low said she hoped the raid would serve as a warning to traders selling pirated jerseys. © New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
