Customs officials suspected something was not quite right with the container, said to originate from the Far East, when they cross-checked the Vehicle and Container Inspection Unit (VACIS) scan with the container’s documentation.

The documents indicated the container was carrying one type of clothing.

However, the scan showed the cargo was made up of boxes holding materials of varying density. Furthermore, the boxes later found containing the fake Nike sportswear were all stashed behind a load of regular unbranded shirts which served as a cover for the hot merchandise.

Upon inspection the boxes were found to contain different sportswear items branded with the classic swoosh and Nike logo. The container was first held a week ago. However, the official proceedings were pending verification, by Nike’s UK headquarters, that the items were in fact fake. The local customs sent a sample via courier on Wednesday and impounded the container on receiving confirmation yesterday.

The unbranded clothes at the front of the container, totalling some 20,000 items, will also be held pending legal proceedings. The UK headquarters handed over the case to local Nike representatives, Time International, in order that it pursue legal action. The shipment may be hard to trace back to the sender since this type of cargo is often sent under fictitious names and untraceable addresses.

The seize comes a few weeks after another high profile haul of counterfeit car parts, Customs Director General John Mifsud told the journalists gathered at the customs department stores yesterday.

“This is a big business that is leaving its mark on the industry,” he said. “ It is hard to estimate the amount of counterfeit material that reaches our shores. However it is calculated that the counterfeit business registers a worldwide turnover in access of E500 billion a year.”

The Maltese customs is gaining a reputation for its effectiveness, especially since the introduction of the VACIS, donated by the US government. Two months ago a Maltese official, George Agius, was invited by the World Customs Organisation to deliver a lecture at a conference held in the UK.