Parents have been warned to be wary of buying fake Labubus after several of the viral toys were seized from shops.
The highly sought-after collectables were found in Yorskshire in a crackdown on ‘dangerous counterfeits’ – as it’s feared they’re being flogged all over the UK.
The grinning toys have been inspired by the illustrated book series The Monsters, created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, in which Labubus are a tribe of female elves.
The characters have become the must-have item for thousands of young adults, teens and children.
The fake versions of the toothy looking elves could pose a choking hazard for children, Hull City Council’s Trading Standards team said.
Rogue traders are cashing in on their popularity by selling poor-quality versions with small parts which can easily detach.
Hundreds of them have been seized around, but it is said there could be many more still on sale across the country.
The figures retail from around £17.50, but price varies depending on size, edition and rarity – with some fetching up to thousands of pounds from resalers.
The dodgy dolls tend to have matt packaging rather than glossy, more or less than the nine teeth the original Labubus have, and a different shape or size of the mouth can also be an indicator.
The quality of an inauthentic Labubu will also be of poorer standard, like wobbly limbs and odd colours.
To really know if you’ve got the real deal, buyers of newer editions will find a UV-detectable seal on the right foot. Under UV light, you should see a silhouette of the specific Labubu model.
It comes after the craze for the toys saw a group of masked burglars steal an estimated $30,000 worth of the high-demand dolls during a smash-and-grab break-in at a small toy store in California, US.
CCTV footage from inside the store shows at least four masked individuals smashing through the front door and bypassing electronics, the cash register, and other merchandise.
Labubu have been contacted for comment.
