Disney counterfeits seized in UK raid
Thousands of counterfeits including Disney dolls and festive toys bound for the UK Christmas market have been seized by Trading Standards (TS) officers.
Among the 5,470 counterfeits seized were nearly 2,000 toys, including more than 400 character dolls purporting to be official merchandise related to blockbuster Disney film Frozen.
Also captured as part of the seizure, which took place in the port of Dover in the UK, were 3,000 sets of Christmas lights that TS officers said were not properly insulated and could have caused electric shocks.
Kent County Council’s TS office said the items were captured as part of a consignment at the port and were prevented from entering the UK.
Border Force officers stopped a lorry and container after it was unloaded from a ship, before they alerted TS officials.
Mark Rolfe, TS manager for Kent County Council, said: “This was one of the biggest hauls we have ever seized. Not surprisingly, it was a very time-consuming task for our officers to go through the consignments and examine samples of every product.”
Among the other items included 480 mini laser stage lighting sets and 1,440 Peppa Pig lookalike puffer balls.
The consignment, which originated from China, included nearly 170,000 items in total and was refused entry into the EU and sent back to China after discussions with the importer.
