More than 70,000 counterfeit Beyblade tops seized in Taiwan — Taipei Times
From May to July, Taiwanese police intercepted five operations involving the smuggling of goods from China and seized more than 70,000 counterfeit Beyblade gaming tops. The estimated value of the intellectual property rights infringement was put at NT$34.45 million, or about US$1.08 million, Taipei Times reports, citing the National Police Agency’s Third Special Police Corps.
Seizures in several cities
According to the unit, 720 counterfeit tops were seized in New Taipei in May. In June, law enforcement officers seized 64,000 items in New Taipei and Taoyuan, while another 4,176 were seized in Tainan and Keelung in July.
Beyblade is a series of tops for competitive play developed by the Japanese company Takara Tomy. Police said the popularity of these toys in Taiwan has made them a target for fraudsters.
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When inspecting boxes, officers looked for the blue Takara Tomy logo in the upper-right corner of the packaging and Japanese Beyblade markings. They also verified model numbers through reverse image searches, required importers to provide authorization documents, and sent photos and videos of the seized products to the official distributor in Taiwan, Lih Yen Co.
Risks and online fraud
Police said counterfeit tops can be dangerous because of poor manufacturing quality, brittle plastic and unreliable construction. During rapid spinning and collisions, they can break apart, and sharp fragments can injure the eyes or face. The paint on such products may also contain toxic heavy metals and plasticizers, according to the unit.
Parents were advised to buy Beyblades together with their children, check for official certification markings and avoid unverified sellers. New Taipei police recorded 122 Beyblade-related fraud cases over the past seven months: one in March, 17 in April, 29 in May, 25 each in June and July, 19 in August, and six since the start of the current month. According to the agency, perpetrators lure buyers with extremely low prices or pose as popular shopping websites, after which the goods do not arrive.
