A Labubu false dolls that would be worth more than half a million dollars if the articles were genuine was intercepted last week at Seattle airport, authorities said.
Customs officers and border protection of the USA.
The seizure took place on August 26 after the officers determined that the shipment violated the federal law that prohibits illegal imports and those that benefit from the intellectual holdings of others, said the spokesman in a statement.
The shipment was falsely labeled as “LED bulb” and originated in South Korea, said the spokesman. False Labubus are often called “LaFufus”.
The intercepted in Seattle will be destroyed, said the CBP spokesman. No arrests have been made, but they have not been ruled out, according to the spokesman.
A community council of London warned consumers this month to buy “LaFufus” comes with risks: poor construction could lead to suffocation risks if parts of the wrists fall, he said, and the materials could include “harmful chemicals.”
The real dolls are made under the Pop Mart brand and are part of a group of characters, “The Monsters”, which debuted in a trilogy of illustrated books inspired by Nordic mythology in 2015.
The characters and the story are the creation of the artist and author of Hong Kong Kassing Lung. For 2019, the Pop toy giant Mart made them collectibles of viral vinyl, partly selling them in “blind” packages that do not reveal Labubu’s version inside until it opens.
Labubu, a girl, has appeared in the US Open in New York City this month, where the two -time Naomi Osaka champion showed personalized versions that included “Billie Jean Bling”, made to look like the pioneer champion Billie Jean King and other tennis legends.
In the city of La Puente, California, earlier this month, the owners of a store called One Stop Sales said that the thieves stole their inventory of Labubu dolls.
A 2020 report from the Federal Research Division of the Congress Library estimated that counterfeit assets are worth more than illicit drug trafficking in the United States. “Falsification is the world’s largest criminal company,” he said.
The division estimated that 80% of the falsified goods in the country come from China.
The precious metal is sometimes used to help separate the falsifications of the collectibles when it comes to other products, such as Swiss watches. Some of Labubu fans become obsessed with the possibility of a 24K gold version, although that is not clear.
Pop Mart did not immediately respond to a request for comments.
Speaking in X, Brian Humphrey, director of Operations of Seattle de CBP, praised his officers to find the false Labubus and said that the agency will remain diligent.
“Excellent work of our diligent and meticulous CBPO!” said. “PD, we are still attentive to the only 24K Gold Labubu.”
Lindsay well contributed.
