Toys, baby feeding bottles, candles, tobacco products and more are among thousands of counterfeit items seized by Hull City Council’s Trading Standards officers.
Two days of targeted action, dubbed Operation Bramble, were organised following a flood of information from members of the public. The tips were submitted after the council revealed previous seizures had recovered over 1,000 contaminated counterfeit toys, some of which contained the cancer-causing chemical benzene.
The latest seizures, which saw van-loads of goods recovered, were the result of visits to more than 60 local retailers. Officers were accompanied by Cllr Ted Dolman, whose portfolio includes Trading Standards, as he wanted to witness first-hand the scale of the issue of unsafe goods, and the ongoing work to tackle it.
Items removed from sale during Operation Bramble included candles which could pose a fire risk, cosmetics which could contain prohibited or restricted substances capable of causing burns, and baby feeding bottles which failed to comply with safety standards designed to protect infants. Officers also discovered counterfeit tobacco products and paraphernalia, none of which had undergone safety checks legally necessary to meet standards for sale in the UK.
Cllr Dolman said: Cllr Dolman said: “Being out on the streets and experiencing the operation first-hand was an incredible insight into the scale of the problem that is illicit goods on our streets, and the work the teams do to protect the public from harm. I knew this was a serious issue, however seeing it firsthand really brought it to life.
“I want to thank all the people who saw our previous publicity about contaminated ‘squishy’ toys and came forward with new information about potentially dangerous goods they had seen for sale. The intelligence they provided directly influenced this two-day operation and helped inform the premises and products the team targeted.
“This is work which is often unseen, but it happens day in day out. The items seized during Operation Bramble would have potentially put children, individuals and entire households at risk. We must be absolutely clear that these are not simply technical breaches of product safety legislation. These are products which could expose consumers to serious risks, including choking, poisoning, burns, chemical exposure, fire, and other potentially life-changing injuries.
“The success of Operation Bramble highlights the vital role the public can play in providing intelligence and information. Tips like these support the work Trading Standards Officers already do, including proactive inspections and enforcement activity. Work to target counterfeit goods forms part of the wider role of Hull City Council’s Public Protection Service, which works to safeguard residents, support legitimate businesses and protect consumers from harm”.
Anyone who sees products for sale which they suspect could be counterfeit, or dangerous, is encouraged to contact the Trading Standards team. In the first instance, contact Citizen’s Advice on: 0808 223 1133. They will then liaise with the local team.
For more information about issues Trading Standards can support with, visit: https://www.hull.gov.uk/legal-advice/trading-standards