Huge haul of fake Scotland and England football strips seized in raid

A huge haul of fake international football shirts worth an estimated £5.5m have been seized in a trading standards raid in Edinburgh.

About 58,000 strips - including Scotland and England kits - were intended for sale during the current World Cup finals.

The seizure is estimated to be one of the largest ever of its kind in the UK.

The City of Edinburgh Council's Trading Standards Team said it followed a series of intelligence-led operations with assistance from Police Scotland.

The council said investigations into the source and supply routes were continuing.

Councillor Neil Ross described the raid as "a tremendous result".

He said: "With the World Cup well under way, this is a timely reminder that criminals exploit major sporting events by flooding the market with counterfeit goods to cash in on fan demand.

"Let me be clear, this is not a victimless crime. Counterfeiters undermine legitimate businesses, rip off supporters and sell products with no guarantee for how or where they were made or whether they meet basic safety standards."

The Scottish Football Association said the trade in fake goods jeopardised its ability to invest in the game at all levels.

A spokesperson said: "Scotland's return to the Fifa World Cup stage has, understandably, led to huge demand for official kit and merchandise in general.

"Unfortunately, major tournament involvement also brings about a rise in counterfeit goods."

They added: "Aside from taking funds away from local community clubs, charities and key programmes... these items are typically poor quality and have often skipped rigorous safety tests.

"They can be highly flammable, made with harmful dyes and can be linked to funding organised crime networks and human exploitation.

"We would strongly encourage Scotland supporters to opt for official merchandise – to protect them and Scottish football."