• Feds seize nearly $5M in phony Super Bowl swag

    By Jim Seida

    This was the result of a four-month investigation in Indianapolis.  According to AP, agents targeted stores, flea markets and street vendors that allegedly sold counterfeit game-related sportswear. Fake jerseys, ball caps, T-shirts, jackets and other souvenirs were among the 42,000 items confiscated in Operation Fake Sweep.

    Julio Cortez / AP

    Andrew McLees, special agent in charge with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, points toward a bad stitching job on a counterfeit NFL football jersey during a news conference, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012, in Newark, N.J.

    Authorities put the total take at more than $4.8 million, up from $3.7 million last year.

    The government also is seizing more than 300 websites alleged to have illegally streamed live sporting telecasts over the Internet or sold counterfeit sports merchandise. Also seized were counterfeit Major League Baseball, NBA and NHL items worth about $1.6 million.

    Julio Cortez / AP

    McLees talks about counterfeit NFL football merchandise seized during the news conference, The seizure comes amid an important week in football as the New England Patriots and the New York Giants face off in Super Bowl XLVI Feb. 5.

    Full Super Bowl coverage on nbcsports.com

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  • China Daily via Reuters

    A soldier checks confiscated fake military vehicle plates which are to be destroyed in Luoyang, China on Jan. 12. More than 270 counterfeited plates, which were confiscated during the past two years, have been destroyed by Luoyang Guard Headquarter.

    In a sea of license plates, China confronts counterfeits

    By Natalia Jimenez, NBC News

    China has a reputation for producing counterfeit products. It seems they have the same issue within their own country.

    The Museum Plagiarius in Germany collects the best counterfeit products, along with the originals that inspired them and displays them side-by-side. They hold the Plagiarius Awards yearly to seek out the best fakes. Wired Magazine has a photo gallery of some of the products displayed at the museum.

  • Colombian police seize more than $2.5 million in counterfeit bills

    Luis Robayo / AFP - Getty Images

    A Colombian police officer holds a 100 US dollar counterfeit bill, on March 22, in Cali, department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia. The National Police seized 2,560,000 dollars in counterfeit notes.

    Luis Robayo / AFP - Getty Images

    A Colombian police officer holds forged 100 US dollar bills, on March 22.

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  • Fabrice Coffrini / AFP - Getty Images

    Counterfeit watches and goods crushed by a vibrating roller are seen during an event to launch a new campaign by Swiss Anti-Counterfeiting and Piracy platform "Stop Piracy" on October 28, at Belp Airport, near the Swiss capital Bern. "Stop Piracy" estimated that the Swiss economy suffers losses of 146.4 million Euros (2 billion Swiss francs) annually due to counterfeiting and piracy.

    Crunch time

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