Police seize World Cup fakes

Colombo - Sri Lankan police on Thursday detained 15 people and seized hundreds of fake items of 2011 cricket World Cup merchandise being sold in and around capital Colombo.

The Colombo Crimes Division raided shops in Colombo and the suburban Maharagama area, seizing T-shirts, caps and other memorabilia, following a complaint by the International Cricket Council.

"The ICC had complained about the breach of copyright laws, and also said these merchandise were carrying the ICC World Cup logos without their consent," police spokesman Prishantha Jayakody told AFP.

Sri Lanka, 1996 winners and 2007 finalists, are co-hosting the 14-nation World Cup with India and Bangladesh. The tournament ends on April 2.