Dangerous, counterfeit toys spur warning from government

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials warned shoppers Monday to stay away from toys that might be dangerous or break copyright laws.

In 2008, authorities seized more than 1,500 shipments of products that either failed to meet safety standards or violated intellectual property laws, said Harold Woodward, with the agency’s field operations in Miami. Products seized this year include yellow toy ducks that contain lead paint, and bright green lighters that look and sound like frogs, but don’t have safety mechanisms. Officials also found surge protectors with shoddy wiring and a black toy gun that carries no markings to indicate it is fake.

“If in the wrong hands, if in the wrong situation, if this weapon was pointed at any one of us or used in the perpetuation of a crime … any commonsense individual would say, this is probably a real weapon,” Woodward said.

Consumers might find the offending products at businesses such as flea markets, street vendors or smaller, mom-and-pop stores across the county, according to customs officials. They said the majority of the seized cargo came from China.

“I’m not saying that ‘Made in China’ means it’s not a good product,” Woodward said. “All I’m saying is we need to be conscious of the fact of what constitutes a safety violation.”

The Associated Press