Nearly 2,300 toys and children’s products valued at nearly $80,000 have been confiscated since early this year by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers assigned to the Los Angeles/Long Beach seaport complex, Customs announced April 29.
CBP members seized $79,696 worth of products that did not meet U.S. safety standards, including 96 baby walkers, 216 autism balance chairs, 492 baby changing tables, 196 baby/kids step stools and 1,296 alphabet mystery box toys.
The 2,296 products arrived from China in four different shipments in late January and early February, which CBP officers found hidden among legitimate cargo.
The toys did not meet small parts requirements and violated the Federal Hazardous Substances Act, the CBP said. Many of the items, such as the infant walkers, the baby changing tables and baby/kids step stools, did not include consumer registrations, children’s product certificates and tracking labels, the agency said.
“CBP is committed to preventing the illegal importation of products that violate U.S. safety standards, as they have the potential to cause harm to children, our most vulnerable consumers,” Cheryl Davies, CBP’s Los Angeles field operations director, said. “This is an exceptional example of our long-standing strategic partnership with CPSC (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission).”
