These Pokémon toys were SMUGGLED into America

Here's the story of how hundreds of thousands of FAKE Pokémon toys were almost snuck in the United States. Unfortunately for the culprits, the counterfeit toys were caught at US Customs. Here's how one of the strangest smuggling scandals in Nintendo history went down!
PATREON - / thomasgamedocs
MERCH - teespring.com/stores/thomas-g...
TWITTER - / thomasgdocs
SOURCES
Customs Press Releases
- www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-me...
- www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-me...
Details on Legality of Counterfeits
- www.cbp.gov/trade/fakegoodsre...
- www.sevenslegal.com/criminal-...
Map of Ports of Entry
- www.pewtrusts.org/~/media/Ass...

[@ThomasGameDocs]

Enjoyed hearing about this Nintendo-related crime? I think you'll like this video I made last year: 🔴They STOLE $10,000 of Amiibo from Nintendo: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bomvooKvlp2eiZY

[@LimeLoaf]

Isn't that video about the green squid amibo? If so I actually got a 3 pack of splatoon amiibos for free (with the green squid) from GameSpot:)

[@dragonkewter4077]

Plss reply to my comment plss dude

[@ItsTheLegendOfZelda]

Oh god that’s a million robux gone.

[@moonlightnori]

DUDE I HAVE SOME OF THESE IN MY HOUSE RIGHT NOW AND I LOVE THEM Not the amiibo the pokemon

[@e11eohe11e]

Charizard was black because that’s the Mega Charizard X evolution.

[@WoofInationXP]

Imagine hearing there’s someone smuggling and you arrive at the scene and see pikachu looking into your soul

[@thecolorduosworldandbonnie4045]

I would run

[@GGamerLiam]

I’d laugh

[@Dargonhuman]

I'd take some for "evidence" then "forget" to log them as I brought them home with me.

[@germani69]

this is really creepy ngl

[@sorasong9708]

@@germani69 Except you did just lie.

[@liquidscreamisnomore]

_"So, these Pokemon were seized at the border."_ This sentence is significantly funnier than it deserves to be.

[@Dargonhuman]

Now I'm imagining a bunch of Pokemon trying to cross the US/Mexico border in a migrant caravan and getting put into handcuffs by ICE agents, and I can't stop laughing.

[@PeterGriffin11]

This is what happens to Pokémon who aren't in the Galar or Paldea Pokédex.

[@kurigaru]

Region locked Pokémon from Pokémon Go

[@vap1777]

We need to keep these border hopping 'mon out of our country! /j

[@RonLarhz]

Gotta catch em all....

[@veryblocky]

When they say “harm to consumers”, this could refer to fiscal harm rather than physical harm. It could also be a vague statement about counterfeit goods generally.

[@Men_Am_I_Right]

It hurt me fisicaly

[@Dargonhuman]

It can be both, really. Cheap toys are often made using dangerous materials like leaded paint and BPA plastic, but shops that unknowingly sell these could also be fined for selling unlicensed, copyright protected merchandise and/or have their entire stock be seized by the authorities without any financial compensation - if they invested a large sum of money into that stock, that kind of loss could shut down their entire shop. There's also the cases where an unwitting consumer bought them thinking they were legit, paid a ton in shipping then had to pay more in shipping charges to send them back.

[@sorasong9708]

Or it could also mean both, but sometimes the official merch is too expensive and people on fixed income like my family have to settle for bootlegs.

[@SeanWheeler100]

Clearly they're exaggerating the harm to consumers. Bootlegs are more of a problem for the trademark/copyright holders.

[@megatamerernie513]

@@SeanWheeler100 nope. Theres a lot of stuff made and sold on the cheap that are harmful bc china has no safety standards for these factories.

[@obsidSP]

if i’ve had a dollar for the amount of times i’ve seen these at those shops at fairs…

[@rifflestherufflet]

Same, I have a whole bucket of them

[@frootloopthechatot9766]

Ive got a mega ampharos, gothorita, and 2 zoruas that look so off 🤣 Im actually gonna bother to repaint them by hand and make them look half decent just so they dont stick out so much with my other pokemerch.

[@mr_fuji_mintsmr_fuji_mints9873]

I have Metagross

[@AlexanderLoaizaGameDev]

My brother has quite a few of them too.

[@EchoGulch64]

My teacher from like, either 4th or 5th grade idr, used to hand them out for good behavior. I also encountered them at San Antonio comic con In 2018

[@keithmichael112]

how does Amazon get away with it then, I think a good 20 percent of the toys I've gotten for my son are of... suspicious origin lol

[@ZipplyZane]

They don't ship them in huge batches like this. They come from overseas companies, who ship them one by one.

[@pakaman9101]

Bruh then why did u buy em

[@MG64OdysseyProductions]

they probably come from companies based in America 🤷‍♂

[@kimmy1325]

@@pakaman9101 Parents have a difficulty telling bootlegs from the real deal. I would know, my mom keeps getting me bootlegs to the point where I even recognized one of them from a review video.

[@ZipplyZane]

@@MG64OdysseyProductions I doubt it, due to the US not really having the manufacturing, and the fact that it would make them a lot more expensive.

[@asahinamarina]

Once I saw a gacha machine full of bootleg pokemon and thought it would be funny to try it out until I did and the prize was a f-ing squidward. A literal squidward I dont know how that happened but I laughed so hard I cried

[@Chaletica]

Ah yes, Squidward, my favorite Pokemon

[@somedummyonyoutube3362]

@@Chaletica A water-type trainer's favourite for sure

[@davidvasquez08]

Happy Japanese noises

[@KermitArchive]

Bro squidward should be in the new pokemon movie

[@ButterIsGone]

Imagine a Pokemon collab with SpongeBob.

[@ZipplyZane]

I think they're just describing why bootleg toys in general can be dangerous to consumers, rather than anything specific. The main issue is that the toys can't be sold in the US legally, due to trademark and copyright. And it is highly unlikely anyone would have that many figurines without intent to sell them. So the seizure cuts that off, same as any other contraband.

[@justpablo1837]

Go to MEXICO

[@justcomments]

I’ve heard the “damage to consumers” in reference to people buying things at the wrong value, and then losing money on resale. Like if you buy a painting and later discover it’s a forgery. But it’s a heck of a stretch in this case 😆

[@vincenthall5908]

@@justcomments i mean, also selling them as a legitimate toy and then the item arrives and its fake. then costs more to ship it back. i had this happen with a fake copy of leaf green 🥲

[@cheesycoke]

Way I see the logic is sort of a leap from "They're breaking the law to make these counterfeit toys." to "They show disregard for the law, meaning they may disregard safety laws as well."

[@Dargonhuman]

@@cheesycoke that's my take on it as well - low quality knockoffs like these often use dangerous and/or banned materials to manufacture them - like leaded paint or BPA laden plastics - or tend to break apart easily and pose a greater hazard to younger children. But, there are plenty of layers and types of harm these kinds of cheap products can pose, and economic or financial harm can be just as significant as physical or medical harm.

[@keiyakins]

Pft. Those things are everywhere, they stopped some boxes but probably missed hundreds of others. Also, looking at the track records of "legitimate" companies, forced labor and human trafficking are pretty common there too.

[@gre8000]

Yeah it's well known that companies like Apple or Nike use underpaid and overworked Chinese labour. And the irony is they're still too expensive.

[@CaptainApathetic]

The purpose isn't to protect any people but the trademark holders. That's why the penalties are so harsh while people causing direct harm to people get wayy less.

[@just-a-me1168]

I live in Australia, and I remember having a set of these on my 10th birthday party

[@inyrui]

@Become upset. their source - trust me bro

[@badangil]

I still have a few of these of my own! I grew up in ohio, Id see those things EVERYWHERE. I mean we kinda knew they were fake but it was cheap substitute of a toy.

[@SoulZeroTwo]

"Don't buy counterfeit Pokémon toys or you'll meet Officer Jenny." Nobody tell Brock.

[@Dargonhuman]

The difference between officially licensed small toys and cheap knockoffs being a choking hazard is pretty straightforward - official products must pass a series of rigorous safety testing and regular inspections to ensure that they are safe for children, i.e. the paint isn't toxic or pieces of the toys won't easily fall or break off during regular play. If the toys don't pass quality control tests, they are denied permission to be sold. The knockoffs are made with vastly inferior materials that often fail to meet even the most basic quality and safety control tests, which - after copyright infringement issues - is the main reason these toys have to be smuggled into the US as "plastic furnishing articles" as they wouldn't be allowed to enter the market otherwise. And, okay, fine, the customs office never tested the toys for lead paint, but considering just how many of these kinds of cheap bootleg toys and products actually do test positive for lead, it's not unfair to cite that as a potential hazard in this case. It would have been nice (as well as thorough) to do the testing and be able to conclusively say one way or the other, but given all of the other legal violations these toys represented, the office really had plenty of reason to seize them without it.

[@littlearies3862]

Not to mention, they are sold in boxes that specifically state they are choking hazards. And, with these fake ones, there seems to be no obvious warning of hazards. So I don't blame them for the choking hazard claim.

[@maziecharliemiddlebrook4946]

Me: press read more Me: SHOW LESS SHOW LESS SHOW LESS

[@rodolfobeguiristain]

Thats complete bullshit and you know it. The only reason the law is so strict about these things is because it hurts the giga corporations. Sure, seizing them was the right thing to do but everyone knows their reasonings were completely made up.

[@dylan1333]

Yeah absolutely

[@Dargonhuman]

@@rodolfobeguiristain You've clearly never bought bootleg toys - they're made so cheaply that a lot of them fall apart just handling them, making them a greater risk to young children who want to put them in their mouths, and that's just the ones that aren't straight up toxic. I've bought or been gifted enough off brand products to know how low their quality control is, if it even exists at all.

[@electricmayhem3450]

I remember one time on a family vacation we stopped at Snyder for a pit stop at a gas station. There was a small vending machine that took quarters and those Pokémon toys were in it. My brother and I bought some. I remember an omastar and possibly a seel. They looked exactly like the pics though

[@gdeproductions1225]

le GASP

[@thegreatprofessorpotato8926]

GET EM COPS

[@TankEngine75]

I guess it's solved?

[@KoderKat]

I saw the same thing in Seattle lol. I got samurott, growlithe, and trapinch

[@electricmayhem3450]

There was a cloyster too! Just remembering. We got at least 3 maybe 5 at most

[@08davise]

Ironically the chairzard is mega chairzard x so it’s colouring is actually pretty accurate

[@chadgorosaurus4898]

Except the tail

[@inyrui]

I thought it was Zekrom at first and realized it didn't have the signature fat ass of Zekrom

[@ImTheWarlock64]

I was about to post the same :P

[@theearthboundchildren]

i used to have a ton of these and had no idea they were so controversial...guess its a good thing i got rid of them. i also still see them at places lol

[@cyberbrewington9422]

Same here

[@birbmm9769]

Same… got them as little handouts for a birthday party don’t know where they are now…

[@4-kathryn]

In the late 90s for Christmas I got an official Pokemon keychain charm of Eevee. The tag looked legitimate but Eevee's paint-job was slightly off. I just wanted to clarify that even the authentic, officially licensed toys *can* appear derpy or off sometimes.

[@AnniChu]

You are right, but that is more true for toys of that era as more modern products (especially Pokémon) have better quality control now days. Personally I love the derpyness of the official toys of the 90s haha

[@sircamquat]

What a shame. My local game store sells these and I love collecting them. I really hope this doesn't affect their supply chain

[@moppupaws]

nothing stops bootleggers, they are too powerful

[@SemiHypercube]

No way, this sounds like Team Rocket in real life Appreciate the effort and quality of your videos!

[@andieanderssen780]

Back when pokemon was new, Australia was incredibly strict with what they allowed in via imports, and there was a huge scandal involving fake pokemon merchandise. I don't remember all the details though. Wish I did.

[@romanphilson9275]

that charizard was Mega Charizard X, which is meant to be black. alternatively, shiny charizard is also black. no idea about the white flame, though

[@NemoracStrebor]

Was it mega Charizard x? I was thinking it was possibly... Oh what is it, kyurem? One of the Pokemon that were the box art for black and white

[@BubblegumLightsaber]

@@NemoracStrebor Zekrom, probably?

[@NemoracStrebor]

@@BubblegumLightsaber yeah that's the one I was thinking of. Haven't played through one of the games since Crystal, so that's where my concrete knowledge of the series ends.

[@mandymom2800]

Still though, it had no paint or details, as far as I could tell

[@flopfan]

i remember having bought these toys on amazon when i was young, and i still have them to this day!

[@moggingyou]

same.

[@vjcthegamersecondchannel5561]

#early-gang

[@vjcthegamersecondchannel5561]

@@shinyman250 4 LIKES IN 5 MINUTES??!?!?!?

[@vjcthegamersecondchannel5561]

@@shinyman250 HOW

[@djriolu234]

Same here, and somehow for a strange reason, I remember giving them to my friends when I was little, but now that I know these are fake, what should I do? Throw them away or bring to the police to risk 10 years in prison?

[@TheVideoViper]

The reason why counterfeits are held up to choking standards more than legit "furnishing accessories" is because as a company with so much history of producing hazard free toys, the pokemon company is far more reliable than wherever these knockoffs came from, as they would have had to follow guidelines for however long their toys have been on the market

[@TheVideoViper]

Also, even if pokemon company did produce a legit product with a choking hazard, there are processes in place for like, recalls and what have you

[@darkithnamgedrf9495]

@@TheVideoViper any small toy has choking hazard labels......

[@TheVideoViper]

@@darkithnamgedrf9495 you bring up a good point, thats likely also why they crack down harder on counterfeits because they likely dont

[@JobiMorkos]

Burger King want you to remind this Pokeball

[@Dargonhuman]

Indeed, official toys have to be held to a much higher standard of quality and durability that the illegal knockoffs often completely ignore.

[@erinw1256]

One time, one of my friends bought me some Pokémon figures online as a gift. The listing online looked legitimate, but instead she got counterfeit toys. We both had fun looking at them and laughing at how ridiculous they looked. But I ended up having to throw them away because they had a very strong odor to them. And because of my respiratory problems, I didn't want them to start causing issues for me. I don't blame her, because she thought the listing was real. And we had some good laughs at how they looked.

[@nidohime6233]

You did right throwing them away, there might had a toxic painting on them.

[@David_McCoy]

I live in the Harrisburg area in PA and me and my brother spotted these at a flea market about a month ago. The colors were so far off from there normal colors it was laughable.

[@EigengrauMonitor]

Unfortunately I was a victim to receiving some of these toys on one Christmas. I still have them in a bag in my room but I'm not touching them with a ten-foot pole cause some of them could unleash horrors...

[@NonisLuck]

They could have LEAD PAINT

[@spoons7649]

They are most likely not painted with lead paint, since they've been everywhere and have been handed out at schools, fairs, and are sold in other countries as well. I think people would have noticed by now.

[@shadowthief6471]

Sell them me boi I love those figures

[@Caliburn096]

Ah yes, I remember my mom got some at a con/store. I got some for christmas in this little bag, kanto pokemon.

[@chromelightsaber_hilt8121]

I got some for christmas too a long time ago, there actually really cool and fun to play around with.

[@whatevergirl19]

“Bringing counterfeit goods often supports force labor” *laughs in original and high end brands*

[@jmurray1110]

I don’t think they remember coercion based labour also falls under forced and if we use that standard literally every burger they buy from a fast food place is illegal because starvation is pretty fucking coercive

[@jmurray1110]

@Become upset. But you might have to work flipping them to afford food

[@grandqueste]

I actually buy a few of these figures at a time from a little video game/anime store knowing full well they’re fakes because I enjoy cleaning them up and repainting them to look like the actual Pokémon, just in my style of customizing. Part of it is practicing on such a small scale and part of it is just wanting more obscure pokemon to have on display with my real figures

[@adultmoshifan87]

I remember once in 2007, around the time that year’s Ninja Turtles movie arrived in cinemas, the official Turtles website ran a news piece “The Shredder destroys the Turtles”, reporting on bootleg Turtle figures being destroyed by a shredder!

[@skully9607]

I actually had a set of those figures as a kid, which were gifted to me from my cousins in a gift box. I always wondered where they got them from. While they’re counterfeit, I still really did enjoy playing with them as a kid, and I also never put them in my mouth or anything.

[@NFMGDS]

It's so funny to see this, here in Brazil those pokémon figures are super comum in candy machines (i have never seen candy in on of those lol) they even come in a pokeball! They are everywhere and was more popular in the 90's and 2000's but i still collecting those creepy pokémon! Sometimes they are really well made 😍 And no, they are not toxic 😅

[@Oli6906]

I found some of the ones in a pokeball at a dollar store I think. (Canada btw)

[@tntgames-yf4ne]

I am from Brazil and i have like 7 or 8 of these fake pokemon toys

[@GTA_500]

They are all over the place in America too.

[@Jamie_ThatJamGuy]

I've seen some pretty hilarious counterfeit Pokémon toys that looked similar to these at the local dollar store. As funny as they are, I can't believe people allow them on their store shelves. There were even some bootleg Pokémon cards that looked pretty convincing if you don't have any real cards to compare them to.

[@Dargonhuman]

Often times those types of retailers don't care. All they're interested in is getting product as cheap as possible, and if it's based on a popular IP that will allow them to move more product quickly, then even better.

[@Skywreckdemon]

The biggest dollar store chain in my region has a lot of bootleg toys, plushies, and trading cards. I have to wonder how such a big chain gets away with it.

[@guywhohasyoutube7723]

A new Thomas Game Docs vid always brightens my evening

[@YourPalRoss]

I remember I think 2017-2018 a boss of mine bought 2 bags of those fake little pokemon toys off Amazon. It was funny seeing all the mistakes and miss colors on them.

[@penguen029]

I literally have a pack of those exact toys in a corner in my room haha! They all have horribly cheap paintjobs and are super flimsy..

[@chadgorosaurus4898]

Burn them

[@chadgorosaurus4898]

@☆cat_puppy☆ Flareon

[@nyancat8828]

Same! I had one of the eevees on my keychain for a long while before it broke lol

[@Cookie-qh7fl]

I can relate

[@penguen029]

@☆cat_puppy☆ no but I got an umbreon that was white and red instead of black and yellow

[@yellohammer8571]

This reminds me of how when I was little, I bought a lot of plastic toys of Chinese origin. My parents always warned me of buying them, because reasons... These toys, were in fact "legally distinct" knockoffs or "discount" versions of already existing IPs and their official toy lines. Now that I look back at all the stuff I bought, I feel like my parents were right to warn me. Also, connecting to the idea of bootleg toys being dangerously coated in lead paint, I was warned that the toys I bought were made of plastic that was of poor quality, and the toy would grow old very quickly. Who knows, Thomas? In addition to being coated in a lethal substance, the plastic could be bad as well, making the choking hazard even more justifiable.

[@justcomments]

Aw, I have fond memories of a counterfeit pikachu key chain which I got at the arcade for barely any tickets. It’s a small shame that the genuine toys can’t be priced lower and become as ubiquitous as the fakes.

[@kevinkite3418]

Here in Brazil I had tons of these when I was a kid. I was never harmed by them and loved these toys very much.

[@heroking3197]

Interesting

[@beatrizkassar123]

Eu também ✌🏻

[@kevinkite3418]

@@beatrizkassar123 Dá uma dó ver que eles apreenderam todos esses Pokémon e provavelmente muitos foram destruídos.

[@sorasong9708]

Sometimes buying bootlegs is the only cheap option for people on a fixed income, just look at those Lego minifigures they sell at the fair every summer or all those dollar store toys that are made to be hastily bought gifts on the way to the birthday party.

[@melsbacksfriend]

I wonder if that guy was intentionally trying to buy a crazy number of knockoffs from Hong Kong in an attempt to “DDoS” customs due to the annoyances they cause.

[@TummaDemoni]

There is one thing I want to know is what if the person who was purchasing the counterfeit didn't know they were counterfeits?

[@jendorei]

It doesn’t matter if you don’t know that what you are doing is a crime. You are still held accountable for it. Maybe with a slightly smaller penalty. What if the recipient was framed though and someone else had ordered the toys at their address?!

[@Dargonhuman]

For an operation as large as this, there's almost zero chance the buyer didn't know what they were getting into. Though, the way these kinds of operations usually work, the person recorded to live at or own the address likely isn't a real person; the house was likely being used as a low-key distribution point to get the bootleg products to their US sellers. Hell, even the purchase of the boxes could have been used as a means of laundering money for the bootleggers.

[@flamshiz]

the way you pronounce counterfeit isn't how I do. that's fascinating. I like it

[@thecosplaycrafter8017]

The man who ordered all of these counterfeit toys was definitely Brock. He just wanted an excuse to flirt with Officer Jenny.

[@saravelasco5807]

They must've given up at some point because I still see these at swap meets and conventions, and I'm not even someone who routinely visits every one!

[@KasumiKenshirou]

They probably just didn't "catch 'em all".

[@sarsaponia]

oh my gosh! i got a bunch of these for christmas a few years back. i still have them in a pokemon lunch box, they’re so sad its funny haha. my personal favorites are darkrai, mew, and cubone. my sister once described them as “pokemon on drugs”

[@kenziehurlock]

There's this weird toy store at the mall near me that sells bootleg Barbie dolls. They're instead called Sophia, but they clearly are bootleg. I don't see how those were allowed into the country and then allowed to be sold, but these Pokemon toys aren't. Very strange.

[@timschultz9252]

Love the footage and editing, great story too!! Thanks TGD!!!

[@kndr2094]

Pretty sure I got some of those from a casino resort arcade in Reno back in like 2018. They all looked just as bad, but I find it humorous.

[@thepuff5974]

What's crazy about this is that some of those fake pokemon toys must've sold to someone because I have that exact same surprised Pikachu figure along with a pichu, Jarachi, and Cactail. I got them at a denist office a while ago after doing things with my braces.

[@KuuchWizard]

Your videos have vastly improved since the early days, Thomas. Like with each video the quality is taken up a little notch. Keep it up!

[@marinedragon]

I have a Palkia figure like this. Unusually though, he's incredibly well detailed for a small bootleg figure. I keep him around because of this. He just doesn't exactly have a complete paint job lol

[@vanityhusk]

I have a Dialga figure like this! Its about the same as yours, pretty detailed but to their credit more or less painted? just... not very well. Now we just need someone w a giratina one and we got the trio. Its actually quite jarring how detailed the Dialga is, I got a bundle of a bunch of the bastards for christmas one year and the dialga sticks out like a sore thumb

[@marinedragon]

I think the only parts of mine that are painted are the parts that are supposed to be dark pink and the face area is painted black.

[@knuclear200x]

Watching ALL those costumed Pikachus take the escalator makes me anxious

[@Legoluigi26]

About every flea market I've been to has these. I probably own fifty of them,they all look so goofy.

[@aquetzalcoatl4663]

Omg I remember buying a Pikachu toy from Chinatown Chicago back in 7th grade. The store owner insisted it was a Thunderrat.

[@keeganjohnson9754]

Hi Thomas game docs thanks for keep making videos and keeping me from being bored

[@PluckyInc]

that moment when you see the one perfect-looking Pansage, only for it to be destroyed. like that one episode of the powerpuff girls where Utonium's old partner started to make his own (cheaply) and when one was perfectly made, it got melted down into more chemical X to be reprocessed.

[@LostSoulSilver]

These figurine knockoffs weren't prohibited to protect consumers. They just want to protect their own wallets, and prevent less wealthy children like i used to be from having access to figurines of something they love

[@scragar]

This makes the Pokemon brand look worse to anyone who sees them, even if no one purchasing them would ever consider purchasing real licenced products. If they were good quality it'd be a different matter, but such horrible models would be terrible optics and it's easy to see how this actually does hurt their company beyond potential lost sales(which I always found questionable since someone paying $2 for 10 low quality figurines is probably never going to pay $10 for 2 good quality figures).

[@MalDD64]

I got some of these figures off Amazon

[@ChicagoMel23]

It is too about protecting consumers

[@BirthdayBoyBlamObjectShow]

Wow who could’ve guessed that the tiny Pokémon toys I ordered from Amazon are counterfeit

[@axolotlfairy2473]

I'm pretty sure that charizard is mega Charizard x based on the shape of the wings, which actually IS black. Granted not 100% black, but it is its base color

[@sweptapostle2473]

there was a card shop I went to a few times and every time I asked questions about certain products the guy at the counter would give me a snobby attitude and turn back around to talk with his friend or the regulars. I noticed that he had bins of fake pokemon figurines that he would sell for like $1.50 ea. If I knew I could report him for that I would have just to get back at him for being such an asshole towards me. I stopped going to card shops for the main reason that card shop owners and the typical tcg nerds are incredibly rude and snobby despite the fact that most of them smell bad, are grossly overweight and treat you like an idiot for showing an interest in something.

[@AuraOfANobody]

Man, if I'd been working there, I would have wanted to try and keep some of those for myself. I love shitty bootlegs like those, they're so funny. Perfect collectors items tbh

[@Dargonhuman]

We're of the same mind, then, because I had that exact same thought while watching.

[@shadowthief6471]

I wish i ws working there so i could take some I love those figures and want more

[@davestrides]

love your videos thomas! you have the type of voice that makes it easy to listen to basically anything

[@Flegz1]

Great video, Thomas!

[@jackygemme863]

The great pokemon smuggling incident

[@MrChainChomp]

Surpised pikachu would further be more surprised on how his life would end..!

[@jackygemme863]

In an incinerator! Pikachu evolved into water bottle

[@qwerpiez]

Yay, another video! I sleep to these because your voice is just so calming and the content is amazing!

[@jayskydab4866]

another great video Thomas!

[@ethane7076]

Imagine going to jail for 20 years because of pokemon

[@briannar1584]

Incredibly funny they caught this batch and yet I and many others in the U.S. remember seeing these all throughout my childhood... up to even encountering a few of them in a toy bag at a thrift store! It's clear that although these figures were stopped, not all of the tiny fake pokemon have been stopped.

[@zakuraiyadesu]

Love the videos, Thomas. Keep it up!!!

[@shrekalmighty3059]

Thanks for the tips at the end! 👍

[@m72860]

Hey do you accept community subtitles? I wouldn't mind translating this into French. Your videos are always interesting and super well made, it'd be neat to have people who don't speak English understand them.

[@m72860]

@☆cat_puppy☆ Sorry if I wasn't clear, I meant writing subtitles, not posting his videos on my channel. Those people suck.

[@PsychOsmosis]

I bought what I'm pretty sure is those exact same knock-off Pokémon figurines for my child. It cost me about 30$ for a whole bag of about 100 of them. He has so much fun with those, it was one hell of a good investment! Edit: To be fair, I thought they were used genuine figurines when I bought them on eBay. The provided picture was very low quality.

[@crystaltulip_]

Your videos are just genius I swear. This is my comfort channel.

[@keags1018]

Nice job Thomas!!!

[@ilovetallyhallalot]

I use to have these and I didn't know anything about them! I didn't find anything weird beside the bad quality. This was very weird to learn

[@birdfish86]

Wow that much trouble for selling fake toy and collectibles someone should tell amazon. 😂

[@jimmyjackson2393]

I’m guessing the reason the reason being a chocking hazard may apply to the bootlegs might be because the don’t have packaging saying the the age range kids should be to play with them so parents won’t know if their kids can play with them unlike the offical ones saying your kid needs to be like 4+ or something like that

[@jeffreythemonkey466]

Good vid. Keep it up Thomas

[@1Psyblade1]

This makes me wonder how one would define "counterfeit goods." Does a singular DIY Pokemon plush or figure count as "counterfeit" and subject to being seized? Or is the fact that these were obviously in such quantities as to be intended to be sold on a mass scale a relevant factor?

[@Men_Am_I_Right]

I think it has to meet a burden of monetary damage to the market as a whole.

[@KasumiKenshirou]

If it's something you made yourself and aren't selling it, you would have nothing to worry about.

[@ForumcoldiArchon]

Yes Your DIY is technically a counterfeit right of the bat. You dont own a license to produce pokemon goods and therefore they are not original. Anything not original is fake -> counterfeit Since you dont sell it its okay Even if you Sold them.. it would be low quantity which would give you a warning at max once nintendo decides its claimable enough

[@smolmuffin]

Probably more so the amount and the terrible attempt at them replicating official merch. With artist creations it is a bit more murky and its not unheard of for artist shops to be taken down for selling stuff based off of official work. However, if its clearly an art work that uses a ip and there isn't an attempt of it trying to pass as something official, most companies usually let it pass. So like a figurine that doesn't copy an existing one, fanart or a plush that just doesn't have an official version its usually more safe. I know with pokemon, you can't technically wear anything unofficial due to photography purposes at specific events but they usually leave artists alone unless they are pulling a lot of money.

[@raizerker]

I own a handful of these I found at a flea market, so hilarious.

[@BobTheAwesomeBob]

These remind Me of those fake Pokémon figures that you see at comic and toy stores in a little bin

[@sleepy-fc6rf]

I knew a kid growing up who had dozens of figures like this, it was wild. He said his dad bought a huge bulk bag of them at a flea market and, because I was a dumb little goober, I never really inquired further. Funny to find out now that tons of bootleg figurines just like his ended up getting seized.

[@Topbeehler]

I ordered some books from Japan once that came thought Customs. They were legit and funny enough arrived earlier than expected by about 2 weeks. It's nice knowing that hard working people are making sure everything is safe and sound that comes in. I just wish internatinal shipping didn't cost so much sometimes lol

[@SuunTM]

Thomas I love ur vids and ur channel keep up the good work

[@melsyoutube]

Love your vids!!!

[@Jezzikinz]

Oh nooo Ive bought SOOO many bootlegs on ebay & amazon lmao A lot of times you can find them in 'lots' - a box of toys/goods (of questionable quality) for a set price (usually very cheap) xD

[@SendFoodz]

hear me out, label the box "hand made toys - Chinese children's hospital 🏥"

[@outsider9149]

Cool vid... keep up the good work.

[@binniethepug9835]

I remember my brother had these bootleg toys, yeah they were small, but some have fragile parts. Magnemite's face melted off somehow, making it look like a void, and some Pokemon had pieces of them broken off. We still have them, but we don't use them anymore

[@harlandspringer303]

I actually have some of these figures! I got them from Wish years ago lol, I've got a full bag of them, and yes, they're horrible fakes lol, I knew that when buying them but oh wow

[@CabinetsAndCupboards]

Unrelated but I just had some goodass dinosaur nuggies

[@danimallover01]

L

[@theearthboundchildren]

have a spongebob popsicle for desert.

[@laneland]

Based

[@jackygemme863]

Based

[@YoutubeHatesJapaneseLetters96]

Lmao, This Story Could Legit Be A GTA Online Heist, But A Smuggling Mission Instead.

[@Its_A_Mii]

yay new video! can't wait to watch it!

[@TheZebbga]

A long time ago, when Diamond and Pearl were new my Dad ordered a big box of Pokémon Toys from eBay. While a lot of them where high enough quality, I shit you not that the Sableye and Vileplume in those pictures are the exact same as the ones I got. There was a bunch of other really cheap miscoloured toys like them. I still have them. So who ever made them has been doing it for over a decade.

[@danimallover01]

Pikachu breakin the law

[@hello_astro]

uh, well, as for the lead paint thing, there is no lead paint. I own a couple of these, even a correct shiny colors misdreavus! When I was maybe 7, i had a pokemon themed birthday party and my mother bought a couple for me. They were like 4 dollars for 100.

[@mattsmocs3281]

God dang its like everything major awful just keeps happening down the road.

[@quickscope8034]

Is this my new favourite channel about videogames? What kind of question is that? New sub

[@Ms.Chalice-TheLegendary]

People seeing Pikachu then: you adorable little mouse! People seeing Pikachu now: Wait, *thats illegal*

[@eddiejoyner9024]

There’s a store by me that sells them for pretty cheap. I’m wondering if turning them in would make any profit

[@warriorstar2517]

Hearing Habanera roughly halfway in was pretty awesome. I’ve always been a sucker for classical music.