Fake World Cup clothing seized

Thousands of fake football shirts flooding England in the final days before the World Cup have been seized by officials.

Counterfeiting experts have been targeting parcels arriving at the international postal hub in Coventry.

They have been joined by representatives from major replica kit manufacturers to target rip-off gear from China, Thailand and Malaysia.

The crackdown aimed to disrupt a multibillion-pound black market that fuels organised crime and is linked to child labour and workhouses.

But it will leave many fans disappointed and out of pocket as England players prepare to kick off their campaign against the United States on Saturday.

Immigration minister Damian Green said: "Smugglers are only out to make a profit by cheating unsuspecting football fans and undercutting honest businesses by an estimated £11 billion a year.

"People often don't realise that the profits made by these smugglers are ploughed straight back into other criminal activities such as drug smuggling and human trafficking."

The move is the latest chapter in the ongoing battle by sportswear manufacturers to tackle cheap and poor quality copycat goods from abroad.

Staff from Adidas, Nike, Puma and Umbro will join officials at Britain's largest international mail sorting centre all week. They are targeting fake England and Premier League football shirts, which can cost from £9 to £30 via mail order. Genuine shirts cost between £35 and £48.

Last year more than 50,000 counterfeit replica shirts, worth some £1.2 million, were seized by UK Border Agency staff, police and trading standards officials.