(SEATTLE) — Over 11,000 counterfeit Labubus — the dolls that have recently exploded in global popularity — were seized at Seattle’s airport, with officials estimating their worth to be over half a million dollars, according to a Customs and Border Protection spokesperson.
“Fake Labubus are not welcome in America. Thanks for the good catch Seattle!” CBP said on X on Friday.
The bust occurred on Aug. 26 when CBP officers assigned to Seattle Air Cargo at Sea Tac began searching a shipment from South Korea that was “falsely manifested as ‘LED Bulb,'” a CBP spokesperson told ABC News in a statement. Inside the boxes, officials found 11,134 counterfeit Labubu dolls — also known as “Lafufus” — with a manufacturer suggested retail price of $513,937.76, CBP said.
The shipment of dolls, which breached federal laws of importation and merchandise involved in copyright or trademark violations, was destroyed by officers, the spokesperson said.
There have not been any charges or arrests made for the counterfeit shipment, but the “smugglers engaged in this contraband attempt have incurred in a significant economic loss by having their products seized by the U.S. government,” the spokesperson said.
Brian Humphrey, the director of field operations for the CBP Seattle field office, said officers are “still on the lookout for the one and only 24K GOLD Labubu.”
Labubus, which debuted in China in 2015, have exploded in popularity this year, with revenue for Pop Mart — the company behind the dolls — reaching $1.8 billion in 2024, according to the company’s annual financial report.
While the dolls retail for about $30, they can go for hundreds and sometimes even thousands of dollars on the resale market.
The dolls counterfeit alternative, “Lafufus,” are typically made with lower-quality materials and may have different features than authentic Labubus.
This bust in Seattle comes after dozens of boxes of Labubus, totaling around $7,000, were stolen from a California store last month, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
ABC News’ Alondra Valle contributed to this report.
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