Hong Kong customs warns parents about inflatable toy with syringe
Message circulating on social media says student bought toy, which contains syringe to blow up the item
Hong Kong customs on Friday warned the public over a stress-relief toy aimed at children that contained a syringe, urging retailers to remove the product from their shelves.
The Customs and Excise Department said it was acting on complaints from the public that a local retailer was selling the toy, but it had yet to find the item during inspections of stores in various districts.
“Customs will continue to closely monitor the market situation and step up patrols. If [the item is] found, the department will take resolute enforcement action,” a department spokesman said.
While the department did not provide any images or video of the item in question, a message about the product containing a small inflatable doll and a syringe circulated in online chat groups for parents on Friday.
The message said the item was bought by a student in Sham Shui Po for about HK$5 (US 64 cents). A video included in the message showed the syringe could be used to blow up different parts of the toy.
Customs called on parents to stop their child from playing with the toy, and advised stores to remove the item from their shelves.
As the enforcement agency of the Toys and Children’s Products Safety Ordinance, the department said it would regularly conduct market surveillance and purchase different products to be sent for safety tests in government laboratories.
