The World Customs Organization (WCO), which is based in Brussels, is developing a special database of potentially counterfeit items in collaboration with the European federation of the sporting goods industry (Fesi). Using this database and new tools, customs officials were able to seize about 520,000 fake footballs, shirts, shoes and other sports products at two Brazilian ports last March, in addition to around 230,000 other types of counterfeits. They did so in the context of a special operation, called Gol '14, organized by the WCO, the Brazilian government, Fifa, Fesi and its Brazilian counterpart, Move, ahead of the Fifa World Cup. Customs officials from seven Latin American countries were trained in risk analysis and other recognition techniques prior to the anti-counterfeiting raid (more on Fesi's actions in the next issue).

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