surrey's project prada uncovers huge stash of counterfeit goods on facebook marketplace
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a stash of counterfeit goods — purporting to be items worth $6.5 million from brands like adidas, hermes, louis vuitton, gucci, and more — has been seized in surrey following a year-long investigation called project prada.
in june last year, surrey police was notified by the canadian anti-counterfeiting network about possible counterfeit goods being sold in surrey.
the goods, which included sports jerseys and other high-end brands, were being advertised on facebook marketplace, according to staff sgt. lindsey houghton.
over the next year, investigators monitored sales and located a person of interest connected to a surrey home where police believed the sales originated.
on june 17, 2026, investigators searched the home and one man was arrested. a further search of the surrey property uncovered a massive stash of counterfeit goods, representing $6.5 million in lost retail sales.
among the items seized were more than 500 fake adidas jerseys bearing the names of soccer, nba and nhl players, nearly fake 2,000 nike jerseys featuring the names of players from soccer, nfl, nba, and mlb, 131 fake ccm nhl jerseys, and almost 400 fake mitchell & ness jerseys and caps.
other high-end brand names were also found among the counterfeit goods.
police also counted 28 pieces of fake hermes jewelry and footwear, 203 pieces of fake louis vuitton clothing and handbags, 673 pieces of fake gucci bags and footwear, 340 pieces of fake christian dior clothing, bags, jewelry, and footwear, 117 pieces of fake burberry clothing, 120 pieces of fake bathing ape clothing, 19 fake rolex watches and 85 fake cartier watches, sunglasses and jewelry.
surrey police service shared this image on july 8, 2026 of counterfeit goods that were seized as part of a year-long investigation dubbed “project prada.” the items, which consist of sports jerseys, purses, watches, clothing, and footwear, is believed to represent an estimated $6.5 million worth of lost retail sales.
surrey police service (sps)
“a person’s best course of action, in the first instance, is ‘if it’s too good to be true, then it probably is’ … and don’t purchase it,” houghton said of online buying and selling. “purchasing stolen and/or counterfeit goods often funds other criminal activity and may even support organized crime.”
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houghton recommended buyers report items they believe to be fake or counterfeit to the canadian anti-fraud centre, the police or crime stoppers.
“there is always risk in purchasing goods like this,” he noted. “you are likely offered no protections from your bank, credit card, there are no warranties, and you may have the items seized by authorities.”
police would not say whether the sales were paid for with cash or electronic funds transfers, and would not confirm whether any undercover purchases were conducted by investigators.
the individual arrested was later released and charge approval is pending further investigation. houghton says potential charges could include fraud over $5,000 and passing of wares. the suspect’s name cannot be released until charges are approved by crown counsel.
people who buy and sell online should familiarize themselves with online safety best practices, including verifying the other party’s identity or making plans to meet in public for exchanges. many local police stations have designated buy and sell exchange spots for an added layer of security.
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