Thousands of fake Labubu dolls have been seized in Southall, as part of an ongoing crackdown on illegal and dangerous counterfeit goods in the borough.
Around 15,000 badly made, potentially dangerous imitations of the popular toys were found in February during a search of a warehouse in Bridge Road, Southall, by Ealing Council’s trading standards team, the Metropolitan Police, and HMRC.
Globally popular and a celebrity favourite, the toothy, furry elf-like dolls, often attached to bags or belts, can resell for hundreds of pounds. The confiscated imitation items were of poor quality, with parts which could be a choking hazard for children if they break off.
What else was found?
More than 80,000 illegal single use vapes were also seized during the raid – thought to be the biggest seizure so far in London. Disposable vapes were banned last June, in a bid to curb vaping by young people and because of their impact on the environment.
In total, 5 van loads of counterfeit or illegal goods were confiscated from the unit occupied by a wholesaler. Amongst other items, goods seized included large quantities of:
- illegal chewing tobacco
- stash bags for storing drugs
- suspected counterfeit football club wristbands
- banned novelty lighters shaped like guns, which are appealing to children, and counterfeit branded lighters
- unsafe travel adaptors
The police also seized large amounts of suspected illegal prescription medication and illegal drugs, while HMRC confiscated a quantity of illicit cigarettes, hand rolling tobacco, and shisha.
Keeping residents safe
Nicky Fiedler, Ealing Council’s strategic director of housing and environment said: “This huge seizure will help keep local families safe from the risk of poor-quality counterfeit products. Our advice is to only buy legitimate products from trusted sources. If the price of an item seems too good to be true, it almost always is.
“We always take the strongest possible action to protect the public from dangerous dodgy goods.”
The investigation into the seized items is ongoing and may lead to court action being taken.
Taking action
In recent years the council’s trading standards team has seized tons of dangerous and illegal goods, including illicit cigarettes, shisha, illegal chewing tobacco, and illegal vapes – many of which posed serious health and safety risks.
Other seizures have included counterfeit clothing, perfumes, cosmetics, electrical goods, household items, prescription-only medication, unsafe cosmetic products, and nitrous oxide canisters.
A single operation in April 2023 resulted in the seizure of approximately 53,000 counterfeit luxury items – including products claiming to be made by Chanel, Hermès, and Louis Vuitton – estimated to be worth £5million.
The team has successfully prosecuted multiple offenders, recovering thousands of pounds through cost orders and confiscation orders. A notable case resulted in a £228,918 confiscation order against a shop manager involved in the illicit tobacco trade.
Concerned about items you’ve bought?
Go to the Citizens Advice website to contact its consumer service.
You can anonymously report the illegal sale of vapes and tobacco products on the council’s website.
