Police arrested a 48-year-old company executive Tuesday on suspicion of importing and selling counterfeit Adidas brand sportswear.
The police said they also raided 14 places in Tokyo, Kanagawa and Chiba prefectures in connection with the case, including the house of the 32-year-old president of a clothing importer in Yokohama.
Mitsuhiro Aono, a resident of Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, was arrested on suspicion of conspiring with several others, including the company president, to import counterfeit brand sportswear from Hong Kong. The sportswear, made in China, was destined for outlets in Sendai and Tokyo's Edogawa Ward, the police said.
They said they have issued arrest warrants for several other people, including the company president.
Aono and others sold some 2,000 sets of clothing, at 4.69 million yen, to the Sendai outlet in October last year, the police said.
They also believe the suspects have been involved in the sale of other bogus brand goods.