Thousands of teddy bears that could potentially kill have been seized before going on sale in London and Kent.
More than 2,000 unstuffed toys were grabbed by customs officials at Dover and the dangerous consignment originally from China was handed to Kent trading standards.
The bears might look cute and cuddly but would pose a serious threat to anyone unfortunate enough to buy one.
Kent County Council trading standards manager Mark Rolfe said: “As well as small sharp points from the neck decoration and poorly attached eyes and nose, the pile comes off which is also a choking hazard.”
According to documentation, the bears were headed for the Czech Republic to be stuffed and potentially sold back in the UK or elsewhere in Europe.
Paul Morgan, director of Border Force south east and Europe, said: “Border Force’s interception of these toys has prevented them entering the UK marketplace and potentially causing harm to the unwary purchaser.”
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