Camron Aref-Adib joins a raid on shop which saw hundreds of counterfeits taken away for testing

HUNDREDS of fake Labubu dolls were seized from traders in a raid on Camden High Street this week – amid claims the cheap copies could be a dangerous choking hazard to children.

The New Journal joined Camden’s trading standards team on the raid on Tuesday morning as counterfeit versions of the viral collectible Labubu dolls – known on the internet as Lafufus – were seized from shops along the road.

“Counterfeit Labubus are a problem everywhere in the UK and they’re not just counterfeit – they’re unsafe as well; there’s a risk to the consumers at the end of the day,” Mohammed Tariq, Camden’s trading officer said, before the raid – hiding behind Camden Lock bridge out of sight from the traders.

“I’m quite well known around here so this is why I’m sort of hiding,” he said. “As soon as you hit one shop, all of the other shops will start closing as word gets out.”

The dolls fall apart easily – and can be a dangerous choke hazard, Camden’s trading standards team have warned

This summer the trading standards team seized 2,227 fake Labubus. A lot of them are imported from the Far East. The team raided six premises selling the counterfeit dolls.

“Labubus are a toy that attracts children. If they’re counterfeit they’re substandard quality so you’re going to get bits of material, arms, eyes and stuffing coming out,” Mr Tariq said.

Counterfeit products are not new to Camden Town, and trading standards also seize fake perfumes, tobacco, vapes and knock off clothing. Safety is a priority but Mr Tariq explains that what people often don’t realise is that a fake T-shirt is often produced as the result of organised crime.

Mr Tariq added: “People will say what harm can a pair of trainers do? These products are made in poor conditions abroad.Counterfeiting funds organised crime at the end of the day. There’s money laundering, there’s people trafficking, child labour. This is just the tip of the iceberg. You’ve got big players behind this and it funds terrorism, modern-day slavery. There’s big money in counterfeiting.

“It’s getting worse in Camden, really. It’s more lucra­tive than drugs, apparently.”

The haul of seized fake Labubu dolls

Town Hall finance chief Labour councillor Camron Aref-Adib explained that you can spot a fake Labubu if the price is “considerably cheaper than elsewhere” – original versions of the doll sold by Pop Mart can cost hundreds of pounds.

Also check to see if packaging is blurry or missing a Pop Mart logo and if the parts seem less sturdy.

The first shop the investigators visited had fake Labubus on a carousel outside and in boxes inside selling for about £8 each.

The shopkeeper repeatedly told trading standards team that “it’s not his shop” and the dolls did not belong to him.

Mr Tariq said: “When we go in they say ‘it’s not my shop, it’s not my stock – I don’t know where it’s from and it has nothing to do with us’. It’s bog standard trying to deflect.”

Mr Tariq easily pulled apart the fake dolls in the High Street, ripping arms and heads off to demonstrate how poorly made they are.

“As you can see, no items of this fa should be made and sold here on the streets of London. At the end of the day it’s wrong,” he said.

These are not the real thing, say investigators

Some 215 counterfeit Labubus were seized from the shop floor, and 100 more were discovered downstairs. The dolls were bundled into “evidence” plastic bags and a van came to pick them up to send them off for testing.

In this instance, Pop Mart has funded the testing to find out how flammable the dolls are and how small the parts being used are. If a part fits through a straw, it is considered a choking hazard. Traders are prosecuted on the number of goods seized and could receive an unlimited fine and up to 10 years in prison for counterfeit goods.

After the first shop had been visited, other stores in Camden Town suddenly did not have any on display later on Tuesday.

Cllr Aref-Adib said: “Camden Market is the most amazing place, and it’s the heart of our Camden as a borough and we always want it to be thriving. We prioritise where we think we can make the most impact in terms of health and safety. While fake dolls might seem innocuous, children’s safety is as big an issue you can get.”