Latest news with #TradingStandardsTeam
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Urgent warning issued to Brit parents over 'dangerous' viral Labubu toy copies
The highly sought-after collectables were found in Yorskshire in a crackdown on 'dangerous counterfeits' - as it's feared they're being flogged all over the UK Parents are being warned against buying fake Labubus after a crackdown on "dangerous counterfeits" of the viral toys. Labubus are a line of toys depicting grinning female elves created by Hong Kong illustrator Kasing Lung that are now highly collectible after going viral on social media. Lung was born in Hong Kong and moved to the Netherlands aged 7, where he learned about Nordic fairy tales. Kung released an original illustrated book series in 2015 called The Monsters, in which the female characters are featured. Thousands of youngsters have been buying the figurines, which can cost thousands for some editions. It comes after mindless yobs damage 41 cars in vandalism rampage through sleepy market town. READ MORE: Woman searches her husband's name online and awful discovery leads to his arrest However, the fake versions of the toys - which are now being flogged by rogue traders - could pose a choking risk to young children due to the small detachable parts, according to Hull City Council's Trading Standards Team. The team says it has seized hundreds of them, but there are fears there could be many more still on sale. The toys start at around £17.50 for the most basic or less known characters, but the larger and rarer versions can cost thousands of pounds. Labubus come in all shapes and sizes, and some figurines have a higher value than others. NPR reported in June that a life-size Labubu in China sold for $170,000 at an auction with more than 1,000 bidders. While the genuine product usually has glossy packaging, the fake versions have matt packaging. The teeth are also a giveaway, as the genuine version has nine teeth while the dodgy dolls have more or less, and the mouth will also be a different size or shape. They may also have incorrect colours and wobbly limbs. Newer editions carry a UV-detectable seal on the right foot, meaning consumers can check whether they have a real Labubu as it will show a silhouette of the model under UV light. It comes after a manhunt was launched for a group of thieves who stole thousands of pounds worth of Labubus. The theft of $7,000 worth of the dolls took place in Los Angeles on Wednesday at the store, One Stop Sales, located about 18 miles east of Los Angeles. The LA County Sheriff's Department told the AP that four suspects used a stolen Toyota Tacoma in the robbery, and the car has since been recovered. One Stop Sales posted on Instagram that the thieves broke into the store at 1:30 a.m., taking all the inventory and 'trashing our place.' They shared CCTV footage showing the robbery on Instagram.
Leader Live
15-05-2025
- Leader Live
Flintshire Council comments as car dealer is jailed
In April, Zana Muhammed was jailed for four years after pleading guilty to one count of participating in fraudulent business carried on by a sole trader. The 42-year-old, from Prince's Street in Flint, had, between February 2021 and June 2023, 'dishonestly sold motor vehicles' to customers resulting in a £300,000 loss overall. The vehicles sold by Muhammed were either classed as Category S (eg suffered serious structural damage) or Category N vehicles (bodywork damage, suspension, steering, brakes etc). Nineteen witness statements were provided in the case, with 'at least another 36' vehicles having been sold. The case was brought by Flintshire County Council's Trading Standards Team after they received multiple complaints from customers across the UK, who had purchased cars from The Old Ambulance Station, Chester Road in Flint. Customers stated they were never told the cars were insurance write offs and they only found out after buying them. Extensive investigations carried out by Trading Standards officers found a significant number of Category N and Category S written off cars were being obtained from salvage auctions and were later being advertised for sale on Facebook Marketplace and eBay. There was no mention within the adverts of them being write offs and in some cases, the adverts were changed after purchase to include this information in an attempt to suggest it was there in the first place. Some cars broke down leaving customers with significant repair bills, sometimes thousands of pounds, for cars they would not have bought if they had known they were insurance write offs. Commenting on the sentencing, Councillor Chris Bithell, Cabinet Member for Planning, Public Health and Public Protection said: 'Despite being advised by Trading Standards officers, Mr Muhammed continued to fail to declare that the cars were insurance write offs. Whilst selling insurance write offs is not illegal, withholding this information is illegal and it must be made known to prospective customers to allow them to make an informed decision before buying a car." IN OTHER CRIME NEWS Cllr Bithell added: 'This case shows that Flintshire Trading Standards take these matters seriously and will investigate and prosecute where necessary, in order to protect the public and legitimate car traders. Our advice to consumers is to do thorough checks before buying a car, such as HPI reports, MOT history, service history, test drive the car and always ask for a receipt.' Sentencing Muhammed, Judge Simon Mills said this was a case of 'sophisticated' and 'well thought out' offending. The judge added: "The purchase of a car is one of the most significant financial agreements that people undertake. Customers need to know that they can buy a car from a dealer in confidence of knowing they're getting a safe and roadworthy vehicle. "Yet, for well over two years you sold cars to customers without telling them they were insurance write-offs. You repeatedly told lies about the history of the cars. You ignored complaints from customers and Trading Standards. Muhammed was sentenced to four years in prison. A Proceeds Of Crime Act investigation into the matter is ongoing ahead of a hearing on September 12.
