Intervention of the Civil Guard of more than 145,000 counterfeit toys in Pinto (Madrid)

The Civil Guard, in an inspection to check and prevent the illegal distribution and sale of toys, has seized more than 145,000 toys and opened an investigation into a possible crime against Industrial Property, in an operation carried out during the Christmas period.

A warehouse dedicated to the storage and wholesale sale of toys located in the Polígono Industrial de Pinto (Madrid) was inspected.

The intervened products arrived at the ship disassembled to avoid customs and police controls and thus avoid detection and were later assembled and assembled to be marketed outside the established legal channels. In the same ship, the agents have also found bags of toys in bulk, plastic blisters and boxes screen-printed with counterfeit brands. In addition, during the inspection, category F1 pyrotechnic effects were found irregularly stored, amounting to a total of 6,000 bomblets.

The operation has been carried out by agents of the Tax and Airport Unit of the Civil Guard Command in Madrid, in collaboration with the Subdirectorate General for Consumer Inspection and Market Control of the Community of Madrid.

The police device began after learning how in this ship, run by citizens of Asian origin, counterfeit toys that allegedly infringed the Industrial Property of different reputable brands were stored and marketed.

From the result of the inspection, a total of 145,657 fake or dangerous toys for the health and safety of children of different brands and models were seized.

The intervened products come mainly from the Asian market. The toys that have been intervened pose a risk to consumers, not only because of the danger involved in the size of the pieces, but also because they lacked safety controls and mostly labeling or formal defects in it; all of them failing to comply with the toy safety regulations. In addition, they represent an obvious risk to the health and safety of minors as they are made with poor quality materials.

The Spanish Patent and Trademark Office, in the annual institutional advertising campaign to fight against the consumption of counterfeiting (Spot campaign 2021), reminds you that by buying original products you make your children happy and take care of their health.

The consumption of counterfeit toys poses a risk to the health of children. It can be the cause of injuries, such as fractures or concussions; Counterfeit toys may contain chemical components that are harmful to the skin and may pose choking hazards from improperly sized parts that are not properly assembled.

Make sure that the toy is well packed, that it has the data of the manufacturer or importer, the recommended age and the safety warnings on the packaging and the instructions in Spanish.

Some tips for buying toys safely

• Always buy toys in shops or online stores you trust.
• If the toy you are thinking of buying is a bargain, be wary.
• Check that the instructions and labeling are in Spanish.
• We must be alert to any indication that the toy we are going to buy may be fake, especially when we shop online.

More information

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