MADRID, August 5, 2008 (AFP) - Spanish police said Tuesday they have seized thousands of counterfeit football shirts and other items following complaints by manufacturer Nike and top European clubs Manchester United, Arsenal and Celtic.

The operation was launched on July 31 in the northeastern region of Catalonia, where four warehouses were raided, police said in a statement.

They found 14,500 counterfeit football shirts, shorts, caps, sweaters, towels and bags of Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Celtic, Marseille, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Lyon, as well as national teams England, Brazil, Portugal, Ireland, Germany and Argentina.

It said the goods had a value of around 830,000 euros (1.30 million dollars).

Two Spaniards who owned the warehouses were charged with 'crimes against industrial and intellectual property,' police said.