Hong Kong customs swoop ahead of the World Cup, seizing $20M in fake goods

HONG KONG (AP) — Just hours before the World Cup was set to kick off, Hong Kong authorities announced the seizure of 230,000 suspected counterfeit items worth an estimated $20 million, including jerseys tied to the highly anticipated soccer tournament.

The seizure included about 30,000 jerseys, some so finely made that they're hard to distinguish from authentic team shirts for ordinary consumers, Wayne Chung, senior inspector at Hong Kong ’s customs department, said Thursday.

Most were copies of authentic player jerseys that are generally more expensive than fan-edition versions because they're better designed and made of higher-quality materials, he said.

All were destined for overseas markets, with nearly 80% set to be shipped to the Americas, where the World Cup is being jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Mexico is playing in the tournament opener against South Africa on Thursday.

Footwear, watches, speakers and handbags were also seized in the operation, part of which took place at logistics centers from late May to early June. Goods modeled on Louis Vuitton’s handbags and Rolex watches were showcased at a news conference Thursday.

Chung said he believed the fakes were possibly meant to serve tourist demand elsewhere. Authorities were still investigating the origins of the goods.

A truck driver was arrested at a border checkpoint at a bridge that linked Hong Kong to mainland China and Macao, a neighboring casino hub, during the operation. Another five people were arrested in relation to the sale of fake jerseys online. All of them have been released on bail.

Chung said anyone who imports, exports, sells or possesses counterfeit goods for sale faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of about $64,000 if convicted.

AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup

Handbags are showcased by Hong Kong customs authorities in a new conference about counterfeit and infringing goods at their headquarters in North Point, Hong Kong Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kanis Leung)

Soccer boots are showcased by Hong Kong customs authorities in a new conference about counterfeit and infringing goods at their headquarters in North Point, Hong Kong Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kanis Leung)

Wayne Chung, a senior inspector of Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department, speaks to reportersat their headquarters in North Point, Hong Kong Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kanis Leung)

Hong Kong customs authorities showcase various types of fake goods they seized during a news conference at its headquarters in North Point, Hong Kong Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kanis Leung)

Hong Kong customs authorities showcase real jersey, left, and fake jersey, right, during a news conference at its headquarters in North Point, Hong Kong Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kanis Leung)

PARIS (AP) — A bus carrying children to school crashed Friday morning in eastern France, killing a 7-year-old girl and an 18-year-old boy, Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said.

Sixteen people were injured, three seriously, the prefecture in Ain said.

Tabarot visited the scene in a rural area northeast of Lyon, where he described the crash as a “tragic accident” and expressed condolences to the victims’ families.

“This is a bus operated by the regional authority that was transporting about 15 students” and other passengers, he said.

News broadcaster BFM TV reported that the passengers included children traveling to middle and high schools in the area. A photograph from the scene showed that the bus had veered off the road, struck trees and landed in a ditch.

Lent Mayor Yves Cristin told broadcaster Franceinfo that “the road was a little wet, there was no fog, and we don’t understand why the bus ... veered off the road.”

“It is always a difficult moment when our students, our children, are victims of an accident like this. My thoughts, and those of the government and the entire education community, are with the families,” Education Minister Édouard Geffray told reporters during a visit to a high school in the Paris region.

Police and rescue workers stand on the road after a bus crashed in Lent, France, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

Police and rescue workers stand on the road after a bus crashed in Lent, France, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

Police and rescue workers stand on the road after a bus crashed in Lent, France, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

Police and rescue workers stand on the road after a bus crashed in Lent, France, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)