Police Seize 1,000 Playing cards In Pokémon Counterfeiting Bust

The crackdown on counterfeit Pikachus and Charizards continues. Earlier this week, an investigation by police in Annaka Metropolis, Japan led them to a haul of 1,000 playing cards believed to be pretend, together with Pokémon buying and selling card recreation merchandise. The 21-year-outdated suspect they allegedly belonged to had been caught promoting a couple of of them final yr for a whole lot every.

As first noticed by the Pokémon buying and selling card fansite PokéBeach, Japanese information shops reported that police have been tipped off to the alleged haul of counterfeit playing cards by a previous purchaser. The person allegedly offered 4 pretend Pokémon playing cards to 2 clients in October 2022, incomes about $1,250 complete within the course of. The purchasers realized one thing was off, nevertheless, and ultimately contacted police.

That’s when Nintendo apparently obtained concerned. Media reviews say police requested the Mario maker to appraise the playing cards throughout its investigation. When Nintendo confirmed the playing cards have been counterfeit, the investigation brough regulation enforcement to the suspect’s residence the place they found 1,000 pretend playing cards, 400 of which have been from the Pokémon buying and selling card recreation.

The counterfeits included each Japanese and English copies, starting from authentic 151 set Mewtwos to extremely coveted full-art rainbow Charizards from Solar and Moon’s Burning Shadows growth. Whereas the person was apparently promoting them on-line, police nonetheless aren’t positive who he obtained them from or the place they have been printed.

Creatures Inc., an organization which partially owns Pokémon, introduced final month that it will be working with on-line marketplaces to crack down on counterfeit card gross sales. “The manufacturing and sale of those merchandise for the aim of revenue interferes with the conventional provision of Pokémon card recreation services and products, and we’ll take measures to droop gross sales and take authorized motion in cooperation with the working firm of the gross sales service platform,” the corporate wrote on its web site. “We’re continuing with response, investigation, and consideration.”