U.S. Customs And Border Patrol Seize Unsafe Toys

As part of a joint effort with Investigators from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers (CBPO) from the Port of Detroit targeted and seized a container of rag dolls and transformable cars after a lab analysis found that the toys contained high levels of lead and small parts that presented a choking hazard.  The total retail value of the toys, headed to Flint, MI was $16,989.  The container, originating from China, arrived via ocean vessel in Newark, NJ on November 11, 2011 where it was selected by CPSC for testing of the toys. CPSC requested that CBP hold the container in Detroit to determine if the toys were safe under CPSC regulations.  The container arrived in Detroit on November 25, 2011 and was examined at a Centralized Examination Station (CES). A sample of the dolls and cars were sent to CPSC for chemical analysis where they were ruled unsafe for the American consumer market.