• Nearly 5,000 counterfeit garments and pairs of shoes were seized in one of the largest operations against industrial property in the province.

• The suspects promoted the products on social media and instant messaging groups, with a particular focus on teenage audiences.

• They used a social housing unit in the El Puche neighborhood as a clandestine shop while residing at another address in Huércal de Almería, taking advantage of public aid.

March 5, 2026. A joint team from Customs Surveillance of the Tax Agency, National Police and Local Police has dismantled a major distribution point for counterfeit products in Almería, seizing around 5,000 items of clothing and sports footwear that imitated well-known brands. The suspects are accused of a crime against industrial property.

The investigation began four months ago, after evidence was detected that a house in the El Puche neighborhood of the Almería capital was being used as a warehouse and clandestine sales establishment. From that moment on, a joint operation was established based on discreet surveillance of the property, monitoring of merchandise movements and analysis of shipments, complemented by the systematic tracking of open sources, especially social networks.

Monitoring on platforms and in instant messaging groups made it possible to document the continued offering of counterfeit garments, the dissemination of digital catalogs, and the recruitment of buyers. This marketing channel turned the home into a widely known point of sale, especially among teenagers, who came after arranging the purchase of the products.

The investigations carried out allowed the identification of a married couple residing in Huércal de Almería as the alleged perpetrators of the activity. In November, a first vehicle was intercepted transporting clothing removed from the investigated property. Back in February, given the suspicion that they intended to empty the premises, a joint operation was established that culminated in the interception of two vehicles loaded with merchandise and the subsequent judicial entry and search of the house, where the bulk of the seized material was located. Additionally, a shipment handled through parcel services containing new counterfeit footwear was blocked.

The volume of seized goods - far exceeding the usual amount in this type of operation in the province - demonstrates the scale of the distribution network. The garments reproduced protected logos and designs, and were sold at prices significantly lower than the official ones.

The investigation also established that the property used as a clandestine shop was considered social housing, intended for habitual residence, while the suspects resided at another address, improperly benefiting from public aid.

Three people have been investigated and the proceedings have been referred to the Court of Instruction of Almería on duty. The close cooperation and coordination between Customs Surveillance, the National Police and the Local Police of Almería has been decisive in dismantling this illicit sales point and stopping the massive distribution of counterfeit products in the city.