2,200 World Cup 2026 albums smuggled in, valued at 100 million pesos, seized

Argentine authorities have seized more than 2,200 official FIFA World Cup 2026 albums that were smuggled into the country. The illicit albums are valued at approximately 100 million pesos. This seizure was part of an investigation into alleged smuggling that also led to the discovery of a warehouse containing undeclared imported merchandise worth an additional 98 million pesos.

The operation came to light amidst a surge in demand for the official World Cup sticker collection. While the stickers became available in various parts of the country, a scarcity of albums led to shortages in kiosks and shops. This situation created an environment ripe for informal sales and supply channels to emerge.

The operation, monitored by the National Ministry of Security and conducted by agents from the Federal Investigations Department of the Argentine Federal Police (PFA), identified the illegal entry of albums of Brazilian origin. These were being sold without the necessary customs documentation. The 2,200 seized albums, whose legal entry into Argentina could not be verified, were confiscated by judicial order.

Following the initial interception of two vehicles carrying a significant quantity of the official Panini collection albums in late May, the investigation continued. This led investigators to a warehouse in Lanús, which served as a storage and distribution center for various imported products. During a raid on this premises, over 1,500 clothing items, 170 TV boxes, 80 thermal cups, 30 air conditioning units, 40 projectors, 90 headphones, seven laptops, 110 chargers, 10 DVD players, 60 gamepads, 20 vacuum cleaners, and 20 hydro-gel guns were confiscated, among other items.

The investigation is proceeding under a case of alleged violation of the Customs Code, aiming to determine the scope of the commercial operation, the origin of the products, and the distribution channels used. The appearance of World Cup albums in the informal market had raised attention due to their limited availability through traditional commercial channels, which significantly increased their value.