U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers recently seized thousands of toys at the U.S. and Canadian border crossing in Minnesota over lead and copyright concerns.
The toys were part of two rail shipments stopped this past summer at the rail yard in Ranier, Minn., part of the International Falls port of entry. Border Patrol officers seized the toys after routine inspections.
In July, officers found a rail car with 2,459 die-cast transporter carrying cases including toy model-cars suspected of containing higher lead levels than safety standards allowed. Test results on Sept. 7 confirmed the higher lead levels and the shipment was officially seized.
“(Officers) try and target different shipments of stuff that they haven’t seen before,” said Chris Misson, an assistant CBP port director. “Something unique like toys would stand out.”
In August, officers noticed a rail car of 5,460 fashion dolls, similar to Barbies, with copyright markings. Upon further analysis, the dolls, worth an estimated $139,000, were found to be in violation of intellectual property rights. The shipment was officially seized on Sep. 10.
In a press release, CBP officials said: “Stopping the flow of illicit goods is a priority trade issue for CBP. The importation of counterfeit merchandise can damage the U.S. economy and threaten the health and safety of the American people.”
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol encourages copyright holders to register their trademark and copyrighted materials through the CBP’s online registration system.