A counterfeit toy investigation in South Carolina has resulted in thousands of alleged counterfeit NeeDoh products being seized by law enforcement and kept out of the hands of unsuspecting consumers.
South Carolina Secretary of State Mark Hammond said authorities seized more than $214,000 worth of counterfeit merchandise on July 27 at Haywood Mall in Greenville. The operation involved the Greenville Police Department, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Knockoff NeeDoh sensory toys were seized from retailers, including Toy Corral and Blind Boxes (Winging It), Squishy Dumplings, and Squishy World. Bootleg cellphone cases bearing Gucci and Louis Vuitton branding were also seized in the raid from Phone XPert and Express Repair. .
“We’re grateful to South Carolina law enforcement officers for the time and resources they dedicated to this investigation. Removing thousands of counterfeit NeeDoh products from the market protects consumers and sends a clear message: counterfeiting will not be tolerated,” said Schylling CFO Meghann Ellis, in a statement. “At Schylling, we’ve spent decades building brands that families trust. Authentic NeeDoh products are designed and manufactured under strict quality controls and independently tested to meet toy safety standards. Counterfeits don’t just infringe our intellectual property; they can put children and families at risk, as there’s no way to know what’s actually in the product or how it’s made. We’re grateful for this partnership with law enforcement, and we’ll keep working aggressively to protect our customers, our retail partners, and the integrity of the NeeDoh brand.”
Schylling manufactures authentic NeeDoh products, which typically retail for $4 to $13. Of the varities siezed, some were direct knockoffs of legitimate NeeDoh products, while others included further unauthorized branding, including Sprite, Pepsi, and McDonald’s-branded “NeeDoh Nice Cubes.” Those, along with an often-seen Dr. Pepper variant, do not exist in any legitimate form. The packaging often includes strange phrases, like “Suptid Squish!”
The investigation and bust grew out of information from the Fairfax County Police Department in Virginia, which had been working on a similar NeeDoh counterfeiting case.
“Counterfeiters don’t follow the same safety standards required of legitimate businesses, and use unknown and potentially toxic ingredients in their fake products,” Secretary Hammond added. “ The fact that counterfeit toys are marketed to children makes this illicit activity even more dangerous.”
The July raid also resulted in one arrest by Homeland Security for immigration violations, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.
Authorities say the counterfeit merchandise investigation remains ongoing.
