200 000 fake football balls seized at Brazilian portFebruary 20, 2013 - 17:54 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Two hundred thousand counterfeit football balls originating from China have been seized at the Brazilian port of Santos, the South American country’s tax authorities said in a statement, according to Reuters. The balls included imitations of the Jabulani model, the ball used at the 2010 World Cup, and the Cafusa, which will be used at the Confederations Cup in Brazil in June. Brazil’s Inland Revenue Service said the balls were apprehended at the port as part of "Operation Protected Frontiers" and would be destroyed. No arrests were reported. Piracy of official merchandise is common in Brazil, which will host the 2014 World Cup, with dozens of street vendors selling fake replica shirts and other products near stadiums on match days. The public often complain of the high price of official merchandise, however. The latest replica shirts of Brazilian club teams cost around 200 reais (66.46 pounds), a large chunk of the country’s minimum monthly wage of 670.95 reais. Top stories Armenian gymnast, Olympic bronze medalist Artur Davtyan has reached the finals of the World Cup. Gor Manvelyan has denied reports alleging that he has expressed a desire to one day play for the French national team. Roma midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is not considering FC Spartak Moscow as his next haven, according to fresh reports. 10 Armenian lifters will compete in the 2021 World Championships scheduled to be held from 7 to 17 December in Tashkent. Partner news | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |