More than 8 million counterfeit and harmful toys have been seized from shops and markets across the EU in a pre-Christmas crackdown, Europol said.
Dolls, building bricks, toy cars, coloring sets, cuddly toys that could pose a fire hazard and educational games were removed in 26 countries.
The operation is the second in two years and brings the number of counterfeit toys seized by authorities to nearly 17 million, the majority from China. Europol, which coordinated the raid, said most of the toys seized “fully violate the EU’s strict rules on products” for children.
The police officer said they include counterfeit toys that “can cause suffocation, suffocation, drowning, cuts, burns and exposure to chemical substances” in clothing that are not legally compliant and always contain chemicals that may be carcinogenic.
“Some pose a choking hazard and can be eaten, while others may harm children’s hearing or vision,” it says.
Goods included card games, dolls, playful toys, accessories, action figures, plastic construction toys, and floating toys. “Counterfeit products range from those that are almost indistinguishable from genuine products, to obvious counterfeits that mimic well-known brands,” a spokesperson said.
Europol urged parents to be cautious when it comes to Christmas shopping and to limit shopping to trusted retailers online and on the high street.
The tell-tale signs may be the absence of warning signs, safety labels and safety instructions regarding the fire risk of clothing.
Europol, in a lengthy report on the crackdown called Operation Ludus, said buyers should be especially wary of toys featuring characters from popular TV shows that are not sold in trusted stores, as these were popular choices for counterfeiters.
Counterfeiters typically use low-quality batteries that pose a fire risk, make baby clothing with cords that exceed EU standards, which can pose a trip hazard, and clothing with ribbons that pose a strangulation risk.
Europol also warned that Chinese counterfeit goods may contain small parts that can easily fall off and be swallowed, such as magnets.
The law enforcement agency said: “China remains the main country of origin for counterfeit toys marketed in the EU.” Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey are often used as transit routes with commercial warehouses leased for stock.
The raids underline the EU and Britain’s ongoing battle to stop low-quality goods arriving on platforms like Shein.
The European Commission stepped up pressure on China’s Shein on Wednesday, saying the online platform could pose a “systemic risk” to consumers and demanding more information from the company after illegal items were found for sale on its marketplace.
Europol’s raids in 26 countries were led by investigators from France, Spain and Romania.
Europol said Operation Ludus shows that criminal networks see profit in low-cost goods, not just the high-end market, which can include counterfeit designer handbags, perfumes and make-up.
“Toys are increasingly targeted due to their diversity and popularity,” the agency said, adding that online crime is “expanding rapidly”.
This summer, amid a crackdown on popular Chinese retail platforms, the EU Justice Commissioner expressed surprise at the toxicity and dangers of some of the items being sold by Shein and Teemu.
With 12 million low-value parcels arriving into the EU every day from online retailers outside the bloc, Michael McGrath has vowed to crack down on the sale of goods that clearly breach the law.
Among the worst examples McGrath encountered were baby soothers with beads that easily fall off, posing a suffocation risk because they do not have a regulation-sized hole to keep air flowing to a baby who accidentally swallows them.
Other items cited by MEPs in a report released this month include children’s raincoats containing toxic chemicals and sunglasses with no UV filters.
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