The hard working men and women at Border and Customs Enforcement are working their rear ends off to prevent criminals from trafficking all sorts of contraband into the United States.
The latest bust in Seattle comes in the form of fake Labubu dolls.
Wait ... what kind of doll?
Oh. So these things are all the rage now?
From NBC News:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers assigned to inspect air cargo at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport seized 11,134 dolls with a suggested retail price value of $513,937.76, a CBP spokesperson said Tuesday ...
The shipment was falsely labeled as "LED Bulb" and originated in South Korea, the spokesperson said.
Quick math puts that at about $46 per doll!
This doll ...
... is worth nearly 50 bucks???
The fake versions of Labubus are common enough that they have a name for them: "Lafufus."
I don't know about you, but I think that's hilarious.
The characters and the story are the brainchild of Hong Kong artist and author Kasing Lung. By 2019, toy giant Pop Mart turned them into viral vinyl collectibles, in part by selling them in 'blind box' packages that don't reveal the version of Labubu within until they are opened.
Labubu, a girl, made an appearance this month at the U.S. Open in New York City, where two-time champion Naomi Osaka showed off custom versions that included 'Billie Jean Bling,' made to look like pioneering champion Billie Jean King, and other tennis legends.
These things are incredibly popular, though I can't figure out why, and the forgery market is out of control if we've gotta have Customs busting people for bringing in the fakes.
No arrests have been made, according to NBC, but the possibility of arrests for the perpetrators and smugglers has not been ruled out.
I still can't believe this was half a million dollars' worth of dolls!
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