Toronto police say they charge two men in connection with what investigators call the largest seizure of counterfeit soccer merchandise in Canadian history, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Multiple outlets report the investigation follows a warehouse raid on May 26, after which police seized large quantities of counterfeit items, including jerseys and flags. The Athletic reports police seize 16,000 counterfeit jerseys and flags with an estimated value of about $3.5 million. CBC and Global News describe the seizure as record-breaking and note it occurs less than two weeks before the World Cup begins. Global News also says police view the scheme as a public concern because profits from counterfeit apparel can be tied to organized crime and human trafficking, while other coverage frames the operation as connected to World Cup-related demand. Daily Sabah similarly links the alleged ring to World Cup timing and describes the amount seized as reaching about $2.5 million. Police have not indicated the full scope of the alleged distribution network in the available summaries, but all sources describe dismantling the counterfeit merchandise operation through the Toronto investigation and charges against the two men.