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Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of counterfeit Labubu dolls were seized in Seattle after safety officials issued an urgent warning about the viral knock-offs.
Border Patrol officers intercepted a shipment of 11,134 fake Labubus worth a staggering $513,937.76, Director of Field Operations (DFO) in Seattle Brian Humphrey announced on Friday.
‘LabuWHO?’ he wrote, beginning his X post with a play on words. ‘Excellent work by our diligent and meticulous CBPOs!’
‘P.S. we’re still on the lookout for the one and only 24K GOLD Labubu,’ he added, referring to a popular spoof video about the coveted collectibles, in which TikToker Lily Feltham claimed she owns the world’s only ’24 karat gold Labubu.’
The DFO posted a photo of boxes filled to the brim with the various colors and designs of the fuzzy toys.
Another snap shows a white and red one holding a Coca-Cola bottle.
A CBP spokesperson told the Daily Mail the packages originated from South Korea and were found in an air cargo shipment falsely labeled ‘LED Bulb.’
The dolls will be destroyed and no one has been charged for the seizure, which occurred on August 26.
Other details surrounding the circumstances in which the fake Labubus were discovered on their way to Washington, which shares a border with Canada, remain unclear.
The DFO posted a photo of boxes filled to the brim with the various colors and designs of the fuzzy toys (pictured)
Kim Kardashian and her daughter North West were spotted with a Labubu doll attached to a handbag (pictured)
Rihanna was spotted with a pink Labubu doll attached as a charm on her Louis Vuitton handbag (pictured)
Despite the light-hearted nature of Humphrey’s declaration, this massive seizure comes as consumer safety agencies in the US and the UK have warned people caught up in the Labubu frenzy to steer clear of lookalike dolls.
‘These fakes, sold both as plush figures and plush keychains, are small enough for a child to fit the doll in their mouth and block their airway,’ the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warned on August 18.
‘CPSC has also received reports of fake Labubu dolls that break apart easily, releasing small pieces that can become choking hazards.’
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) also warned UK collectors that fake Labubus are poorly made and often contain toxic substances such as lead, harmful dyes or banned plastics.
Like the CPSC, the institute also said they pose a choking hazard for kids. Over the course of just a month, more than 2,000 fake Labubus – often referred to online as ‘Lafufus’ – were confiscated from retailers across the UK.
Meanwhile, authentic versions of the viral collectibles – sold by Chinese toymaker Popmart – have made their way into the spotlight.
Since climbing to fame on TikTok, celebrities from pop singers including Ellie Goulding and Rihanna to fashion icon Marc Jacobs have been seen carrying Labubus or using them as accessories.
Kim Kardashian was also spotted with her daughter North West, who donned a Labubu on her purse.
Star tennis player Naomi Osaka turned heads by bringing a custom-made bedazzled Labubu to a match last week.
Labubus have made their way into the mainstream, with many celebrities being spotted with them
Another snap shows a white and red one holding a Coca-Cola bottle (pictured)
Fashion icon Marc Jacobs has been seen where a Labubu on his bag as an accessory (pictured)
Authentic versions of the viral collectibles (pictured) – sold by Chinese toymaker Popmart – have made their way into the spotlight
The two-time US Open champion arrived on the courts wearing a bejeweled, red jacket and matching tennis skirt from Nike, with metal red roses on her ponytail.
She also had a navy blue duffel slung over her shoulder with the red Labubu, which she named ‘Billie Jean Bling,’ hanging off the bag.
Osaka’s Labubu was designed by luxury accessory line A-Morir and is now available for purchase for $495.
The toys, which originated in Hong Kong, are plush, furry little dolls that are described as ‘elvish creatures,’ with big teeth and elf-like ears.
They generally sell for $20 to $40, but have become more difficult to find and expensive since becoming the latest internet craze.
