Close to 1500 toys allegedly destined for stalls at Perth’s Royal Show have been seized by Australian Border Force officers over concerns they could be counterfeit knock-offs.
Among the huge haul by ABF officers at Perth International Airport were hundreds of stuffed Pokemon toys, pencil cases, key rings and hair clips that authorities believe may breach intellectual property rights laws.
In total, the ABF is holding 1465 items while investigating the legitimacy of the products.
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The seizure was gathered from a traveller searched on their return from Thailand. They had declared they were carrying commercial goods, “allegedly intended to be sold at the Perth Royal Show”, which starts at the Claremont Showground on Saturday, September 23.
“There are serious health, safety and environmental concerns over fake versions of products including children’s toys, cosmetics, batteries, even safety equipment like airbags,” ABF Superintendent Vesna Gavranich said.
“These items were intended for the Royal Show and likely not safe for children to the degree expected by the community.
“When making purchase choices remember that if it looks too good to be true, it usually is.“
The Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia said it works with licence holders to make sure dodgy rip-offs don’t sneak through.
“It’s a condition of being an exhibitor that you have appropriate licences, and we inspect goods on-site,” chief executive Robyn Sermon said.
The seizure was revealed shortly after WA’s Consumer Protection warned parents about potentially unsafe novelty items and toys.
The watchdog issued eight infringement notices to Royal Show stallholders and their suppliers for non-compliant goods in 2022. The fines totalled $31,680.
Consumer Protection will have product safety inspectors checking stalls and show bags this year too and has warned they won’t hesitate to issue on-the-spot infringements.
In the 2023 financial year, the ABF seized more than 112,000 individual counterfeit items worth $40 million.
The Perth Royal Show runs until September 30.
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