Urgent warning issued to Brit parents over 'dangerous' viral Labubu toy copies

Parents are being warned against buying fake Labubusafter a crackdown on "dangerous counterfeits" of the viral toys.

Labubus are a line of toys depicting grinning female elves created by Hong Kong illustrator Kasing Lung that are now highly collectible after going viral on social media. Lung was born in Hong Kong and moved to the Netherlands aged 7, where he learned about Nordic fairy tales. Kung released an original illustrated book series in 2015 called The Monsters, in which the female characters are featured.

Thousands of youngsters have been buying the figurines, which can cost thousands for some editions. It comes after mindless yobs damage 41 cars in vandalism rampage through sleepy market town.

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However, the fake versions of the toys - which are now being flogged by rogue traders - could pose a choking risk to young children due to the small detachable parts, according to Hull City Council's Trading Standards Team.

The team says it has seized hundreds of them, but there are fears there could be many more still on sale.

The toys start at around £17.50 for the most basic or less known characters, but the larger and rarer versions can cost thousands of pounds. Labubus come in all shapes and sizes, and some figurines have a higher value than others. NPR reported in June that a life-size Labubu in China sold for $170,000 at an auction with more than 1,000 bidders.

While the genuine product usually has glossy packaging, the fake versions have matt packaging. The teeth are also a giveaway, as the genuine version has nine teeth while the dodgy dolls have more or less, and the mouth will also be a different size or shape.

They may also have incorrect colours and wobbly limbs.

Newer editions carry a UV-detectable seal on the right foot, meaning consumers can check whether they have a real Labubu as it will show a silhouette of the model under UV light.

It comes after a manhunt was launched for a group of thieves who stole thousands of pounds worth of Labubus.

The theft of $7,000 worth of the dolls took place in Los Angeles on Wednesday at the store, One Stop Sales, located about 18 miles east of Los Angeles. The LA County Sheriff’s Department told the AP that four suspects used a stolen Toyota Tacoma in the robbery, and the car has since been recovered.

One Stop Sales posted on Instagram that the thieves broke into the store at 1:30 a.m., taking all the inventory and “trashing our place.” They shared CCTV footage showing the robbery on Instagram.