A huge haul of fake and dangerous toys—worth up to £10 million—has been seized in Southall, in one of the biggest UK operations of its kind.

The raid, part of ‘Operation Grinch,’ was led by Swansea Council’s Trading Standards team. They targeted four toy warehouses on a large industrial estate in Southall.

Officers from London police and Trading Standards teams from across the UK, including Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Buckinghamshire, Kent, and Surrey, joined the operation. Brand representatives from major toy companies also took part.

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The investigation started after Swansea officers found thousands of fake toys being sold in the city centre during Christmas 2024. The items were linked back to the Southall warehouses, leading to the major raid.

Some of the toys, which looked like popular brands such as Pokémon, Peppa Pig, Star Wars, and Marvel, were found to contain banned chemicals called ‘phthalates’. These can harm the body’s hormone system and are linked to certain cancers.

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Rhys Harries, Swansea Council’s Trading Standards Lead Officer, said:

"The latest seizure is the result of detailed investigations around the sources of counterfeit toys that we discovered being sold in Swansea."

"Christmas can be a popular time for businesses to quickly set up in vacant premises and distribute unsafe, counterfeit toys to families looking for a bargain."

"We have spent a lot of time investigating these sources, using external partners to gather intelligence about the traders in London."

"In terms of the large amount of dangerous and counterfeit goods we have seized, I have no doubt that all of these were destined for the high streets of many of the UK’s towns and cities."

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David Hopkins, Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and Performance, added:

"This latest counterfeit seizure is significant in terms of the positive impact it has had, not only in Swansea, but around the UK."

"Our own Trading Standards did not stop at simply dealing with counterfeit goods being sold on the street in Swansea, they showed a lot of professionalism and determination to tackle the wider distribution into other towns and cities."

The raid in Southall has helped stop thousands of unsafe toys from reaching families across the UK.

Unsafe fake toys seized in Southall. Photo: Swansea Council