Counterfeit toys worth £6m seized from warehouses

Counterfeit toys, thought to be valued between £6m and £10m have been seized in London as part of one of the largest multi-agency operations in the UK.

Trading standards officers from Swansea Council led the raids on four toy warehouses in an industrial estate in Southall, south-west London.

They found toys packaged as well-known brands like Pokemon, Peppa Pig and Marvel and which were later found to contain harmful substances.

The investigation began after counterfeit toys were seized last Christmas from pop-up shops around Swansea city centre.

During testing the toys were found to contain banned chemicals known as phthalates which if ingested can affect the body's hormone system and have been linked to certain types of cancer, Swansea Council said.

Rhys Harries, Swansea Council's trading standards lead officer, said: "In terms of the large amount of dangerous and counterfeit goods we have seized, I have no doubt that all of these were destined for the high streets of many of the UK's towns and cities.

"It's great to know that we have had a positive impact and are able to not only protect families and young children from the possible dangers associated with these toys, but also to protect established brands who have been affected by the sale of counterfeit products."

Swansea's trading standards officers were joined by their counterparts from Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Buckinghamshire, Kent and Surrey councils, Met Police officers as well as brand representatives from major toy firms.

Cabinet member for Corporate Services and Performance, David Hopkins, said: "Our own trading standards did not stop at simply dealing with counterfeit goods being sold on the street in Swansea, they showed a lot of professionalism and determination to tackle the wider distribution into other towns and cities.

"I'm extremely proud of everyone's efforts, along with the assistance of external partners who have provided support for this operation."

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