Fake Labubu Toys Seized in Counterfeit Goods Raid
Swoop on Southall warehouse also sees 'largest ever' illegal vape seizure
The counterfeit toys were found to be potentially dangerous. Picture: Ealing Council
April 1, 2026
Thousands of counterfeit Labubu dolls and more than 80,000 illegal single-use vapes have been seized in Southall in what officials say is one of the largest operations of its kind in London. The raid, carried out in February by Ealing Council’s trading standards team alongside the Metropolitan Police and HMRC, uncovered around 15,000 imitation Labubu toys inside a warehouse on Bridge Road.
The dolls — globally popular, celebrity-endorsed and often resold for hundreds of pounds — were found to be poorly made and potentially dangerous. Officers said parts could easily break off, posing a choking hazard to children. The discovery forms part of an ongoing crackdown on illegal and unsafe goods circulating in the borough.
The operation also uncovered what is believed to be London’s biggest seizure to date of illegal disposable vapes, with more than 80,000 confiscated. Single-use vapes were banned last June due to concerns about youth vaping and environmental harm.
In total, five van loads of counterfeit or illegal products were removed from the premises, which was occupied by a wholesaler. Among the haul were illegal chewing tobacco, stash bags designed for concealing drugs, suspected counterfeit football wristbands, banned novelty lighters shaped like guns, counterfeit branded lighters and unsafe travel adaptors. Police also seized suspected illegal prescription medication and illegal drugs, while HMRC confiscated illicit cigarettes, hand-rolling tobacco and shisha.
Nicky Fiedler, Ealing Council’s strategic director of housing and environment, said the scale of the seizure would help protect families from dangerous products. “This huge seizure will help keep local families safe from the risk of poor-quality counterfeit products. Our advice is to only buy legitimate products from trusted sources. If the price of an item seems too good to be true, it almost always is,” she said, adding that the council “always take[s] the strongest possible action to protect the public from dangerous dodgy goods.”
The investigation remains ongoing and could lead to court action.
Ealing’s trading standards team has carried out a series of major operations in recent years, removing tons of unsafe and illegal goods from circulation. Previous seizures have included counterfeit clothing, perfumes, cosmetics, electrical items, household goods, nitrous oxide canisters and large quantities of illicit tobacco. In April 2023, officers seized around 53,000 counterfeit luxury items — falsely branded as Chanel, Hermès and Louis Vuitton — with an estimated value of £5 million. The team has also secured significant prosecutions, including a £228,918 confiscation order against a shop manager involved in the illicit tobacco trade.
Residents concerned about items they have purchased can seek advice through the Citizens Advice consumer service.
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