Customs seize and destroy counterfeit Norway football kits bought on DHGate
A Norwegian buyer was told by Tolletaten that four jerseys and two shorts ordered from DHGate were fake, seized, destroyed and later refunded.
An unnamed Norwegian consumer ordered four national-team jerseys and two shorts from the Chinese marketplace DHGate. In early August, Tolletaten sent a letter indicating the shipment was suspected of being counterfeit, subsequently confiscating and destroying the items. After the customs action, the buyer pursued a refund and eventually recovered his payment.
Norges Fotballforbund’s marketing director Runar Pahr Andresen confirmed that counterfeit kits are an ongoing problem for the federation and its retailers. Tolletaten could not provide figures on how many Norway-related items have been intercepted but said it has been destroying various counterfeit football apparel over the past six months and that overall seizures of fake goods have risen, especially clothing, shoes and luxury items.
The agency warned that such imports can contain hazardous substances and may be linked to serious crime such as human trafficking and drug trade. Football-kit enthusiast Krister Haraldsen estimates that up to half of the kits on the market could be fake.
Why it matters
Fake sports gear harms fans and brands while potentially funding broader criminal networks.
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