A Christmas crackdown has seen UK police keep hundreds-of-thousands of dangerous toys away from children’s stockings.
Border Force seized more than 260,000 imitations in 2025, with fake Labubu dolls making up a shocking 90% of dodgy goods.
Labubu toys can cost anywhere from £13.50 to more than £200 depending on how rare they are and they generally come in a mystery ‘blind box’.
The dolls’ devilish smiles and celebrity endorsements from the likes of Rihanna have captured the mainstream. .
But criminals have cashed in on the trend too – and with around 75% of counterfeit toys failing safety tests, scammers are definitely on the naughty list this Christmas.
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Nearly 240,000 fake Labubu dolls, sold for as little as £2.99, have been seized so far this year.
Trading standards groups across the UK, including North Yorkshire and Birmingham, have warned parents against buying fake and unsafe toys for stockings this year.
Other confiscated goods include Jellycat plush toys, PlayStation controllers, Disney merchandise and Pokémon figurines.
Organised criminal gangs profit from families shopping for gifts, especially for the holidays, while the children who get them could be at risk of harm.
Imitations can be dangerous, from choking hazards due to the poor quality copies breaking more easily to products even using banned chemicals linked to cancer, according to the Home Office.
To deal with counterfeit toy sales at Christmas, Border Force has teamed up with the Intellectual Property Office as part of Operation Foretide.
Adam Chatfield, Border Force Assistant Director said: ‘Preventing cheap knock-off toys entering Britain isn’t about stopping fun at Christmas.
‘Serious organised criminals use profits from dangerous counterfeit goods to fund their evil activities – exploiting parents and families.
‘Every product seized disrupts criminal networks threatening our border security, spares children from harm and protects legitimate British businesses.’
The operation targets safety issues as well as protecting legitimate retailers who invest in safe, high-quality products.
Seizing counterfeit goods, and usually destroying them after, aims to protect honest businesses from scammers undercutting them with dangerous imitations.
How to spot a fake Labubu
Check the look and feel of the toy
Trust your instincts. Does the product look and feel like an authentic product? Sellers of fakes often make spelling mistakes in their descriptions and sometimes on the products themselves.
If the packaging feels flimsy or shiny, this could be a sign it’s not a genuine Labubu.
Real Labubus also come with a QR code to verify the product but be wary of codes that take you to another site or a false look-alike PopMart site.
Price – Be wary of low prices and unfamiliar websites
Whether buying online or in person, question the price if it’s much cheaper than the genuine price you would expect to pay from PopMart. Many sellers of fakes use unfamiliar social media shops or websites with the aim of conning you out of your hard earned cash.
Always check the domain name is authentic and double check reviews and make sure they have a returns policy.
Fake platforms will often offer no way of contacting the business which is a sign that it may not exist.
Stay safe from potentially dangerous fake toys
Fake toys may look like the real thing and be much cheaper, but they can also be dangerous and cause harm.
Fake toys are not produced to the same high safety standards as real toys and could feature small, poorly made parts that could be a choking hazard or even contain potentially toxic chemicals.
If you believe you have purchased a fake Labubu or other toy for your child, you can report this to your local Trading Standards or to Crimestoppers online.
Helen Barnham, Intellectual Property Office Deputy Director of Enforcement Policy, said: ‘With counterfeit toys, what you see is rarely what you get.
‘These illegal and dangerous goods have bypassed every safety check the law requires, behind the packaging can be hidden choking hazards, toxic chemicals and unsafe electrical wiring that put children in real danger.
‘This Christmas, check before you buy. Be wary of unfamiliar sellers and deals that seem too good to be true.
‘If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Don’t let your child be the product tester.’
UK Border Force had already stopped more than 100,000 fake Labubu dolls as of August this year up and down the country.
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