U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Norfolk, Virginia just intercepted over 17,000 counterfeit children’s toys. Mickey Mouse plushies. Mario backpacks. Hello Kitty snow globes. Pikachu music boxes. All fake. All worthless. All destined for a warehouse in West Virginia before heading to store shelves and online listings across America.
The retail value if they’d been real? Over $776,000.
But here’s what really matters: every single one of those toys could have seriously hurt your kid.
What Just Got Seized
On October 29, 2025, CBP officers working at the Port of Norfolk-Newport News stopped a shipment from China and found 17,634 pieces of counterfeit children’s toys bearing the protected trademarks of massive brands: Despicable Me, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Hello Kitty, Labubu, Kuromi, Mario, Mickey Mouse, and Pikachu.
The shipment included 12,191 plush toys, 1,661 backpacks, 1,600 music boxes, 1,430 snow globes, 552 animal floral arrangements, and 200 rose decorations.
This wasn’t a small operation. This was someone trying to flood the market with knock-offs, gambling that enough of them would get through to make it worth the risk.
Some did get through. That’s the scary part.
Why This Matters to You Right Now
Eighty percent of parents say it’s getting harder to spot counterfeit toys. Harder than last year. Counterfeiters are getting better at copying packaging, mimicking brand logos, and gaming online review systems. A parent buying Christmas gifts on a budget can easily get fooled.
But here’s the brutal reality: counterfeit toys are manufactured in facilities with zero oversight. They don’t meet U.S. toy safety standards. They haven’t been tested. Nobody cares if they’re safe. They only care if they’re profitable.
What’s Actually Inside These Fake Toys
Counterfeit toys can contain:
High-powered magnets. A child swallows magnets from a toy that breaks open, and they need emergency surgery to remove parts of their colon and intestines. That actually happened. The toy was counterfeit.
Lead and toxic chemicals. Over 101,900 counterfeit toys have been flagged containing dangerous levels of lead. Lead poisoning in children causes developmental delays, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems.
Small choking hazards. Counterfeit toys don’t have to meet strict U.S. regulations about small parts. Pieces break off. Kids swallow them. Kids choke.
Substandard materials. Counterfeit toys are made cheap and quick. Plastic breaks. Stuffing comes loose. Seams fail. A toy designed to last six months instead of lasting years. But worse—cheap materials can be toxic.
Button batteries and magnets. Non-toy products get passed off as toys. A kid swallows a button battery and it burns a hole through their stomach in just two hours. A child swallows magnets from opposite sides of a toy and they stick together in their intestines, causing internal bleeding.
The Numbers Are Terrifying
Every year, at least 150,000 toy-related injuries and deaths are treated in emergency rooms among children 14 and younger. Not all of those are from counterfeits, but counterfeit toys make the problem dramatically worse.
Nearly 90% of parents are concerned about counterfeit toy safety. Yet more than half still buy knock-offs anyway because they’re cheaper.
CBP seized more than 280,000 counterfeit toys in recent years. The Consumer Product Safety Commission alone has requested nearly 60,000 internet site takedowns for selling unsafe toys.
They’re Everywhere
The problem isn’t just sketchy websites. Counterfeit toys show up on Amazon. Walmart. eBay. Big retailers that allow third-party sellers. That’s how they get through—hidden among listings from legitimate sellers, often with fake reviews to boost credibility.
Third-party sellers on major platforms don’t have the same oversight as the retailers themselves. A seller operates from anywhere in the world. They ship directly to your door. They disappear. Your only recourse is a bad review.
How to Actually Protect Your Kids
Know who’s selling it. Look at the seller information. If it says “Ships from and sold by [random third-party seller],” be extremely careful. If it says “Ships from and sold by Amazon.com,” you have more protection. Buy directly from the retailer when possible, not from third-party sellers.
Check the price. If it’s 50-70% off retail? It’s probably fake. Legitimate retailers don’t discount toys that aggressively.
Look at the packaging. Missing safety seals? Typos? Weird font? Unusual packaging? It’s fake. Authentic toys have professional packaging that matches the brand.
Check for safety information. Does the packaging have age labels? Safety warnings? Contact information for the manufacturer? Counterfeit toys often skip this.
Read reviews carefully. Look for a pattern of new reviews all saying the same thing with similar phrasing. That’s fake. Look for negative reviews that mention the item being counterfeit or arriving broken.
Search for recalls. Visit saferproducts.gov and check if any toy you’re considering has been recalled. If it has and you still see it for sale, it’s likely counterfeit.
Follow age recommendations. Not as a suggestion. As safety guidance. A toy marked “3+” contains small parts that are choking hazards for younger kids. Follow it.
Stick with recognized brands from recognized retailers. Toys “R” Us, major department stores, official brand websites, Amazon.com directly. Yes, they cost more. But your kid isn’t in the emergency room.
What Happens If You Get Fooled
You could face legal consequences. It’s illegal to import counterfeit merchandise, and if you unknowingly order fake goods, you can be liable for penalties or fines—even if you had no idea they were counterfeit.
But worse, your child could be hurt.
Report It
If you receive counterfeit toys or see them being sold online, report it. CBP has a Trade Violations Reporting platform and the National IPR Center takes reports. When you report, you’re helping law enforcement shut down operations and protect other families.
The Bottom Line
This holiday season, spend the extra money. Buy from legitimate retailers. Buy from official brand websites. Buy from stores you trust. Don’t gamble with your kid’s safety to save twenty bucks.
That toy is going to be in your kid’s hands for hours. It’s going to go in their mouth. They’re going to sleep with it. If it’s counterfeit, every single one of those moments is a potential injury.
CBP officers are urging parents to remain diligent when buying online or at steep discounts to be sure that the children’s toys, clothes, or accessories you buy don’t pose a serious health and safety threat to your families.
Your kids deserve real toys. Toys that have been tested. Toys that are safe. Don’t buy counterfeits.
