Hong Kong Customs alerts public to unsafe stress-relieving toy with syringe

     Hong Kong Customs today (December 6) reminded members of the public to stay alert to a stress-relieving toy with a syringe that could pose an injury risk to children. To avoid an accident, parents should immediately stop their children from playing with the unsafe toy. Traders should also remove the stress-relieving toy with a syringe from their shelves.
      
     Customs today received complaints from members of the public revealing that a local retailer supplied the unsafe stress-relieving toy with a syringe. Customs attaches utmost importance to the situation and immediately conducted patrols on toy retail shops in various districts. No suspected stress-relieving toys with syringes were found. Customs will continue to closely monitor the market situation and step up patrols. If found, the department will take resolute enforcement action.
      
     As the enforcement agency of the Toys and Children's Products Safety Ordinance (Cap. 424), Hong Kong Customs will continue to conduct surveillance in the market and on online shopping platforms. After conducting risk assessments, Customs will test-purchase different types of toys and children's products and send them to the Government Laboratory for safety tests.
      
     Under the Ordinance, it is an offence to supply, manufacture or import unsafe toys or children's products. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for one year on first conviction, and a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for two years on a subsequent conviction.
      
     Members of the public may report information relating to suspected unsafe toys or children's products via Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).