An operation led by the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI), in coordination with federal and Mexico City authorities, resulted in the seizure of allegedly counterfeit sporting goods in the Morelos neighborhood of the Cuauhtémoc borough, as part of the preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The operation took place at at least four warehouses and 15 commercial premises located at number 42 Aztecas Street, where IMPI personnel, with support from the Secretariat of Citizen Security and members of the Mexican Navy, entered to verify the authenticity of sporting goods, primarily national team jerseys.
According to IMPI head Santiago Nieto, the operation was carried out following several complaints, including one from FIFA itself, due to a suspected impact on the sale of official merchandise, with an estimated decrease of 8 percent, as well as tax evasion.
During the operation, authorities seized a large quantity of merchandise, which was removed in at least five cargo trucks. Black bags containing the confiscated items were transported in the trucks.
According to preliminary reports, one of the warehouses held the largest quantity of products, including counterfeit jerseys of national teams such as Germany, Mexico, Argentina, and Portugal.
Authorities indicated that these operations will continue in various locations throughout the capital to combat piracy and protect intellectual property rights in the lead-up to the international event.
Riveted metal doors, video surveillance cameras, an industrial elevator, and a closed-circuit television system were part of the infrastructure used by the warehouses storing counterfeit sports merchandise in the Morelos neighborhood of the Cuauhtémoc borough.
During a visit by this news outlet to the property located at 42 Aztecas Street, the complexity of the security system was evident in at least four warehouses raided during the operation led by the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI), an agency under the Ministry of Economy.
Members of the Secretariat of Citizen Security and personnel from the Secretariat of the Navy also participated in the operation, carrying out procedures to seize allegedly counterfeit merchandise, primarily soccer jerseys.
The raided property is located in the pedestrian walkways of the Tepito neighborhood, where, in addition to the warehouses, 15 commercial spaces that formed part of this distribution center were also seized.
The storage areas were located on the second floor of the building, protected by armored doors, multiple locking systems, bars, and padlocks. The interior, painted entirely white and with artificial lighting, housed a surveillance system comprised of at least seven cameras connected to a closed-circuit television network.
The facility also featured an industrial-grade elevator that facilitated the movement of merchandise between levels, highlighting the scale of the operation.
Inside the warehouses, thousands of jerseys from various teams and national squads—including Germany, Argentina, Portugal, and Mexico—were found, presumably intended for sale in anticipation of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Mexico City.
Source: eluniversal
