Nearly 2,000 fake Labubus seized from shops in Norfolk
Over the last few days, Norfolk County Council Trading Standards has seized nearly 2,000 suspected fake Labubus.
The collectible plush monster toys originated in Hong Kong and were created by artist Kasing Lung for a picture book.
Nearly 2,000 fake Labubus have been seized (Image: Norfolk County Council Trading Standards)
They soon gained popularity on social media due to blind unboxings and celebrities accessorising their designer bags with them.
Due to the hype, real Labubus are hard to find and the £20 dolls are being resold for hundreds of pounds on resale sites.
This week, officers have been out across the county in locations including Norwich, Thetford, Hunstanton and Great Yarmouth seizing the fakes.
READ MORE: More than 1,000 packs of illegal tobacco seized from shop after raid
Great Yarmouth was the most problematic spot, with 1,756 fakes found.
It is the council's understanding that "genuine Pop Mart Labubu toys are exclusively marketed and sold by Pop Mart, not via other retailers".
The imposter dolls- known as Lafufus - present a choking hazard and there is concern that they contain banned chemicals such as phthalates.
Labubus are being resold for hundreds of pounds (Image: Ashley Labubu/PA Wire) Unlike the Pop Mart toys, the counterfeits do not have the required safety labelling but are easier to come by.
A spokesman for Norfolk County Trading Standards said: "We would advise people buying any toys to inspect packaging and toys carefully.
"The quality is likely to be poor, with poor stitching or small parts that fall off easily.
READ MORE: Work begins on new 'box park' to house Anglia Square traders
'Fake versions of toys are either not labelled at all, or do not have all the required information such as a CE/UKCA mark, name and address of a UK supplier, although some counterfeit toys have been found to have the CE/UKCA mark on the packaging.
'Counterfeit versions are also often cheaper than legitimate products.'
In June, Pop Mart, which has 16 stores in the UK, pulled all of its Labubu plushies due to customers fighting over them and queuing overnight outside shops.
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Nearly 2,000 fake Labubus seized from shops in Norfolk
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