U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) investigators announced the seizure of more than 2,200 baby products from China that failed to comply with U.S. child safety standards.
According to a CBP news release, officers assigned to the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport’s Merchandise Enforcement Team intercepted four separate shipments arriving from China in late January and early February.
The suspicious items – which included baby walkers, autism balance chairs, baby changing tables, child step stools and alphabet mystery box toys – were concealed in legitimate cargo, CBP said; samples of the goods were sent to CPSC compliance investigators whose analysis confirmed the safety standard violations.
“The infant walkers lacked consumer registrations, children’s product certificates and tracking labels,” CBP officials said. “The autism balance chairs violated the Consumer Product Safety Act…The changing tables were found in violation of the safety standard for baby changing products, consumer registration, children’s product certificates and tracking label requirements.”
“The step stools lacked the required children’s product certificate and tracking label,” officials added. “The toys failed to meet small parts requirements and were also found in violation of the Federal Hazardous Standards Act.”
A total of 96 baby walkers, 216 autism balance chairs, 492 baby changing tables, 196 child step stools and 1,296 alphabet mystery box toys were seized, CBP confirmed. The estimated value of the 2,296 seized products is $79,696.
“CBP is committed to preventing the illegal importation of products that violate U.S. safety standards, as they have the potential to cause harm to children, our most valuable consumers,” said Cheryl Davies, CBP Director of Field Operations in Los Angeles.
In the fiscal year 2023, CBP officers at the LA/LB Seaport intercepted 344 shipments that violated U.S. health and safety regulations. According to officials, some of the products seized were toys with small parts or lead paint that could be ingested, unsafe highchairs and cribs and unsafe household items such as power strips, lighting and personal hygiene products.