Toronto police seize record C$3.5 million in fake World Cup jerseys

Toronto police say counterfeit World Cup merchandise was moving through a Mississauga warehouse just as the city braced for six matches, 300,000 visitors and a surge of tournament spending. The seizure, valued by investigators at C$3,564,000, was the largest known confiscation of fake soccer jerseys in Canadian history and came before the World Cup frenzy peaks in Toronto.

Officers recovered more than 16,000 fraudulent jerseys and flags, along with two counterfeit FIFA World Cup trophies, after executing search warrants at the warehouse on May 26, 2026. Police said the site was operated by Amana Trading Company and that the goods carried fake FIFA, Nike, Adidas and Puma branding, putting the operation squarely inside the commercial machinery that surrounds a global event.

The investigation began in May after Lipkus Law LLP alerted the Toronto Police Service FIFA Planning Team Investigative Unit on May 12, 2026. Police said the suspects were acting as distributors supplying counterfeit merchandise to retail stores, a model that suggests the fake goods were not just meant for street sales but for a wider resale network.

Toronto police identified the accused as Ramy Jaber, 41, of Milton, Ontario, and Walid Sarhan, 62, of Mississauga, Ontario. Both men were charged with fraud over $5,000, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, passing off wares or services with intent to deceive or defraud, and commercial-scale offences under the Trademarks Act.

The bust carries broader security and economic implications for a city preparing to host six FIFA World Cup 2026 matches, starting June 12 and ending with a Round of 32 match on July 2. City officials say Toronto expects more than 300,000 out-of-town visitors during the tournament, which is projected to generate about $393 million in GDP for the city and more than $456 million for Ontario.

The stakes are larger still because Toronto will sit inside a 104-match World Cup spread across 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico and the United States, with the final scheduled for July 19, 2026. Toronto will also host FIFA Fan Festival Toronto at Exhibition Place from June 11 to July 19, adding another layer to the city’s event footprint and to the market for knockoff jerseys, flags and souvenir trophies that grows around it.