€79m in fake toys seized across Europe

Operation LUDUS III, a Europol-coordinated crackdown on counterfeit toys, seized millions of suspect products worth an estimated €79m ($86m) over a four-month period between October 2022 and February 2023.

Top-line figures from the operation have just been released by the law enforcement agency, which carried it out with the help of OLAF, EUIPO and the World Customs Organisation (WCO).

All told, more than 6,000 inspections were carried out, 19m toy packages were seized, and 205 individuals were reported to judicial authorities.

Counterfeit toys often don’t meet safety standards and can pose a choking hazard, and it isn’t uncommon that they contain lead-based paints and additives that can be very harmful, especially to young children.