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28th November 2025
11:44am GMT
Over 16.6 million fake and harmful toys have been taken off the EU market following two coordinated continent-wide operations, including Ireland.
Over two years, Europol led initiatives to stifle dodgy toy producers and dealers.
The annual initiative is known as Operation LUDUS, derived from the Latin word for "toy".
The organisation said 26 countries, including Ireland, were involved in the operations and were supported by the EUIPO and OLAF, per The Irish Mirror.
According to Europol, the global market is valued at a whopping €300 billion a year and is the second most-counterfeited industry in the world.
Authorities seized nearly €37 million in total worth of goods while over 500 individuals were reported to judicial and health authorities during the massive operations.
As reported by Europol, fake toys cause a loss to the economy, on top of the fact that criminal gangs who produce these toys don't follow EU regulations, leading to the toys not being safe.
Europol said: "Within the European Union, strict regulatory standards govern the design, production and sale of toys and games.
"Criminal actors involved in counterfeit toys evade such criteria, which are designed to protect the health and safety of consumers, especially children.
"Poor build quality and the use of low-grade toxic materials can cause severe and even life-threatening injuries to children playing with fake toys."
They added: "This is especially concerning in counterfeit toys intended for baby mouthing, as infants are directly exposed to these substances.
"Other dangers come from electronic toys whose sound levels may exceed legal decibel limits, causing irreversible hearing loss.
"Many toys also rely on electrical components and other combustible materials, such as batteries, which may not conform to the relevant regulations."
According to authorities, the seized counterfeit toys were mainly imported through regular shipping routes.
Amongst the most common reasons items were seized were intellectual property rights violations, the presence of dangerous substances, and the absence of CE marking or EU conformity certificates.
Europol added: "Many of the seized toys indicated various hazards and risks.
"Completely evading the EU’s strict rules on products intended for children, these fake toys can cause asphyxiation, suffocation, drowning, cuts or burns, and expose children to chemical substances.
"Some pose choking hazards and could be ingested, while others may damage children’s hearing or sight."
