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Labubu dolls are the latest fad to take over the world. Celebrities have them. Athletes have them. Everyone has them. And everyone wants them. Which is why thieves are stealing them and bad actors are counterfeiting them because it’s like printing money if you can get your hands on a few of them.
Resale sites like eBay are littered with Labubu dolls, all at prices well over retail (which are already priced excessively high). Those prices aren’t a problem for the many famous people who have been spotted with their own Labubu dolls like North West, Naomi Osaka, and Rihanna. It is a problem, however, for everyone else when fake Labubus are flooding the market.
“Fake Labubus are not welcome in America. Thanks for the good catch Seattle!” U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) wrote in a post on X (Twitter) over the weekend.
“LabuWHO? @cbp officers in Seattle, WA seized 11,134 counterfeit LABUBU dolls valued at $513,937.76,” Director of Field Operations for the CBP Seattle Field Office wrote in another post. “Excellent work by our diligent and meticulous CBPOs! P.S. we’re still on the lookout for the one and only 24K GOLD Labubu.”
LabuWHO? @cbp officers in Seattle, WA seized 11,134 counterfeit LABUBU dolls valued at $513,937.76. Excellent work by our diligent and meticulous CBPOs! P.S. we're still on the lookout for the one and only 24K GOLD Labubu. #OFOProud #CBP #NationalSecurity #BorderSecurity pic.twitter.com/guQE2nW9f8
— DFO Brian Humphrey (@DFOSeattle) August 29, 2025
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recently issued an urgent safety warning about fake Labubu dolls, writing, “These fakes, sold both as plush figures and plush keychains, are small enough for a child to fit the doll in their mouth and block their airway. CPSC has also received reports of fake Labubu dolls that break apart easily, releasing small pieces that can become choking hazards.”
Counterfeit Labubu dolls are a global problem
Over in the United Kingdom, a South London city council recently warned its citizens about fake Labubu dolls. According to Bristol Live, Sutton Council’s Trading Standards team said they seized more than 230 suspected fake dolls in just one month.
In a statement “alerting residents to a rise in dangerous, counterfeit Labubu dolls,” Sutton Council wrote, “Fueled by the brand’s online popularity, these fake toys pose serious safety risks, particularly for children.”
Another 100 fake Labubu dolls were seized by authorities in Moray, northern Scotland. The fake Labubus, or “Lafufus,” were confiscated from shops in Elgin.
“There are significant safety concerns associated with these fake toys. Toy Safety Regulations are there to protect children from the dangers associated with toys which haven’t been properly tested to ensure they are safe from risks like harmful chemicals and choking hazards,” said Councillor David Gordon. “Shops that choose to ignore these risks and sell these types of unsafe toys can expect to have them seized.”
In Ireland, 200 fake Labubus were recently seized, and in Nottingham, 66 more were seized from a local shop. “On examination, it was found that the stitching on the dolls came apart easily, exposing the internal filling and presenting a potential choking hazard,” Nottingham police stated. “In addition, officers were able to separate the head from the body with little effort.”
Meanwhile in China, more than 70,000 fake Labubu dolls were seized in a just matter of days in June. So when it comes to Labubus, it’s definitely buyer beware.