Thousands of counterfeit Labubu dolls have been seized in Southall after officers uncovered a large cache of fake and potentially dangerous goods in a warehouse.
Around 15,000 fake versions of the popular toy were found during a raid last month (February 2026) on a unit in Bridge Road, led by Ealing Council’s trading standards team alongside the Metropolitan Police and HMRC. Officials said the dolls were poorly made, with parts that could break off and pose a choking hazard to children.
The operation also uncovered more than 80,000 illegal single-use vapes — believed to be the largest seizure of its kind in London — despite a ban introduced in June 2025 aimed at tackling youth vaping and environmental harm.
Nicky Fiedler, Ealing Council’s strategic director of housing and environment, said: “This huge seizure will help keep local families safe from the risk of poor-quality counterfeit products. Our advice is to only buy legitimate products from trusted sources. If the price of an item seems too good to be true, it almost always is.”
In total, five van loads of goods were removed, including illegal chewing tobacco, suspected counterfeit football wristbands, unsafe electrical adaptors and novelty lighters shaped like guns. Police also seized suspected illegal drugs and prescription medication, while HMRC confiscated illicit tobacco products.
Investigations are ongoing and could lead to prosecutions.
Ealing Council is asking residents to contact trading standards if they have information on anyone selling illegal products by reporting it to: tradingstandards@ealing.gov.uk
