London
22 °C
Manchester
Glasgow
Dublin
Belfast
Washington
33 °C
Denver
25 °C
Atlanta
Dallas
Houston Texas
New Orleans
El Paso
Phoenix
38 °C
Los Angeles
24 °C
0 °C
40 °C
Shanghai police bust gang selling counterfeit Labubu toys / Photo: STR - AFP/File
NYSE - LSE
| SCU | 0% | 12.72 | $ | |
| CMSD | 0.81% | 23.248 | $ | |
| CMSC | 0.13% | 22.63 | $ | |
| RBGPF | 0.52% | 74.42 | $ | |
| RIO | 0.39% | 59.72 | $ | |
| NGG | 0.05% | 70.225 | $ | |
| BCC | -1.8% | 83.39 | $ | |
| BP | -0.36% | 32.135 | $ | |
| BTI | 1.46% | 53.95 | $ | |
| GSK | -3.48% | 37.66 | $ | |
| RYCEF | 7.09% | 14.1 | $ | |
| SCS | -0.98% | 10.23 | $ | |
| BCE | -0.88% | 23.325 | $ | |
| JRI | -0.04% | 13.105 | $ | |
| RELX | 0.12% | 51.84 | $ | |
| VOD | -2.5% | 10.79 | $ | |
| AZN | -3.19% | 74.22 | $ |
Shanghai police bust gang selling counterfeit Labubu toys
Police in Shanghai busted a gang making and selling fake Labubus this month, detaining eight people and 5,000 counterfeit toys worth $1.7 million, local state-owned media reported.
Made by Beijing-based toymaker Pop Mart, Labubu dolls have become a must-have item internationally, adorning the handbags of celebrities such as Rihanna and Dua Lipa.
The furry, fanged creatures, which typically sell for around $40, are released in limited quantities and have caused frenzies at stores around the world.
Knock-offs -- many of which are also made in China -- have flooded online platforms, dubbed "Lafufus" by social media users.
The Shanghai bust in early July uncovered 12-million-yuan ($1.7-million) worth of fake Pop Mart toys, state-run Shanghai Daily reported late Tuesday.
Pop Mart notified police when a customer reported that one purchased online was in fact fake.
This led to the discovery of an online store that sold fans, speakers and gaming consoles -- but was also a front for selling the counterfeits.
Police raided a warehouse, detaining eight people and the 5,000 toys, complete with forged trademarks and fake anti-counterfeit stickers, the report said.
It is not the first time the fluffy monsters have been associated with crime.
In Singapore, CCTV footage captured a family stealing Labubu dolls from a claw machine last year, according to online media outlet AsiaOne.
And in June, burglars broke into a store in California and took several Labubu dolls along with electronics and other valuables, US news outlet ABC reported.
J.Lozano--HdM
