‘Despicable Me,’ ‘Mario,’ ‘Hello Kitty’ — All Fake, All Seized At Virginia Port: CBP

By Zak Failla From Daily Voice

The holiday shopping season is supposed to be magical — not a minefield of bootleg toys stuffed with knockoff branding and unsafe materials.

But that’s what federal officers say they stopped from entering the country after seizing more than $775,000 in counterfeit children’s toys headed for the region.

Customs and Border Protection officers in Norfolk, Virginia, intercepted the massive shipment late last month after spotting more than 17,000 pieces of counterfeit children's merchandise that had arrived from China and was ultimately bound for Wood County, West Virginia, officials said.

The load included:

12,191 plush toys;
1,661 backpacks;
1,600 music boxes;
430 snow globes;
552 animal floral arrangements;
200 rose décor.

All were stamped with protected trademarks from “Despicable Me,” “Game of Thrones,” “Harry Potter,” “Hello Kitty,” “Labubu,” “Kuromi,” “Mario,” “Mickey Mouse,” “Pikachu,” and others, according to CBP.

The shipment included 1,600 music boxes bearing branding of popular children's entertainment characters.

US Customs and Border Protection

Officers detained the shipment in September and sent photos and documents to CBP trade experts, who worked with trademark holders to confirm the haul was fake.

The items were then seized under federal law before they could make it to West Virginia.

Had the toys been real, CBP says they would have been worth $776,562.

“Ensuring that all imports are lawful and safe for consumers remains a priority Customs and Border Protection mission,” Keri Brady, area port director at the Area Port of Norfolk-Newport News, said.

“It is a responsibility that we take very seriously because we know that we could be the difference in helping keep consumers safe.”

Brady urged families to be careful as they shop for deals online before the holidays.

Counterfeiters often use cheap materials, unsafe parts, and shoddy construction that can break or injure children, CBP warns.

"The international trade in counterfeit consumer goods is illegal," officials said.

"It threatens the health and safety of American consumers, steals revenues from trademark holders and tax revenues from the government, and it funds transnational criminal organizations."