These Pokémon toys were SMUGGLED into America

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 พ.ค. 2024
  • 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...
  • เกม

ความคิดเห็น • 1.3K

  • @ThomasGameDocs
    @ThomasGameDocs  ปีที่แล้ว +170

    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: th-cam.com/video/8XLqOya8kS4/w-d-xo.html

    • @LimeLoaf
      @LimeLoaf ปีที่แล้ว +2

      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
      @dragonkewter4077 ปีที่แล้ว

      Plss reply to my comment plss dude

    • @ItsTheLegendOfZelda
      @ItsTheLegendOfZelda ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Oh god that’s a million robux gone.

    • @moonlightnori
      @moonlightnori ปีที่แล้ว +1

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

    • @e11eohe11e
      @e11eohe11e ปีที่แล้ว +1

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

  • @WoofInationXP
    @WoofInationXP ปีที่แล้ว +1248

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

    • @thecolorduosworldandbonnie4045
      @thecolorduosworldandbonnie4045 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      I would run

    • @GGamerLiam
      @GGamerLiam ปีที่แล้ว +7

      I’d laugh

    • @Dargonhuman
      @Dargonhuman ปีที่แล้ว +16

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

    • @germani69
      @germani69 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      this is really creepy ngl

    • @sorasong9708
      @sorasong9708 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@germani69 Except you did just lie.

  • @liquidscreamisnomore
    @liquidscreamisnomore ปีที่แล้ว +600

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

    • @Dargonhuman
      @Dargonhuman ปีที่แล้ว +42

      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
      @PeterGriffin11 ปีที่แล้ว +28

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

    • @kurigaru
      @kurigaru ปีที่แล้ว +13

      Region locked Pokémon from Pokémon Go

    • @vap1777
      @vap1777 ปีที่แล้ว

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

    • @RonLarhz
      @RonLarhz ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Gotta catch em all....

  • @veryblocky
    @veryblocky ปีที่แล้ว +867

    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
      @Men_Am_I_Right ปีที่แล้ว +31

      It hurt me fisicaly

    • @Dargonhuman
      @Dargonhuman ปีที่แล้ว +93

      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
      @sorasong9708 ปีที่แล้ว +22

      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
      @SeanWheeler100 ปีที่แล้ว +15

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

    • @megatamerernie513
      @megatamerernie513 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@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
    @obsidSP ปีที่แล้ว +911

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

    • @rifflestherufflet
      @rifflestherufflet ปีที่แล้ว +73

      Same, I have a whole bucket of them

    • @frootloopthechatot9766
      @frootloopthechatot9766 ปีที่แล้ว +53

      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
      @mr_fuji_mintsmr_fuji_mints9873 ปีที่แล้ว +16

      I have Metagross

    • @AlexanderLoaizaGameDev
      @AlexanderLoaizaGameDev ปีที่แล้ว +12

      My brother has quite a few of them too.

    • @EchoGulch64
      @EchoGulch64 ปีที่แล้ว +25

      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
    @keithmichael112 ปีที่แล้ว +414

    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
      @ZipplyZane ปีที่แล้ว +90

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

    • @pakaman9101
      @pakaman9101 ปีที่แล้ว +19

      Bruh then why did u buy em

    • @MG64OdysseyProductions
      @MG64OdysseyProductions ปีที่แล้ว +9

      they probably come from companies based in America 🤷‍♂

    • @kimmy1325
      @kimmy1325 ปีที่แล้ว +79

      @@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
      @ZipplyZane ปีที่แล้ว +12

      @@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
    @asahinamarina ปีที่แล้ว +130

    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
      @Chaletica ปีที่แล้ว +26

      Ah yes, Squidward, my favorite Pokemon

    • @somedummyonyoutube3362
      @somedummyonyoutube3362 ปีที่แล้ว +22

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

    • @davidvasquez08
      @davidvasquez08 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Happy Japanese noises

    • @KermitArchive
      @KermitArchive ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Bro squidward should be in the new pokemon movie

    • @ButterIsGone
      @ButterIsGone 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Imagine a Pokemon collab with SpongeBob.

  • @keiyakins
    @keiyakins ปีที่แล้ว +349

    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
      @gre8000 ปีที่แล้ว

      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
      @CaptainApathetic ปีที่แล้ว +22

      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
      @just-a-me1168 ปีที่แล้ว +3

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

    • @inyrui
      @inyrui ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @Become upset. their source - trust me bro

    • @badangil
      @badangil ปีที่แล้ว

      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.

  • @ZipplyZane
    @ZipplyZane ปีที่แล้ว +659

    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
      @justpablo1837 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Go to MEXICO

    • @justcomments
      @justcomments ปีที่แล้ว +31

      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
      @vincenthall5908 ปีที่แล้ว +21

      @@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
      @cheesycoke ปีที่แล้ว +17

      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
      @Dargonhuman ปีที่แล้ว +16

      @@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.

  • @Dargonhuman
    @Dargonhuman ปีที่แล้ว +301

    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
      @littlearies3862 ปีที่แล้ว +20

      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
      @maziecharliemiddlebrook4946 ปีที่แล้ว +8

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

    • @rodolfobeguiristain
      @rodolfobeguiristain ปีที่แล้ว

      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
      @dylan1333 ปีที่แล้ว

      Yeah absolutely

    • @Dargonhuman
      @Dargonhuman ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@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.

  • @SoulZeroTwo
    @SoulZeroTwo ปีที่แล้ว +12

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

  • @electricmayhem3450
    @electricmayhem3450 ปีที่แล้ว +187

    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

  • @08davise
    @08davise ปีที่แล้ว +48

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

    • @chadgorosaurus4898
      @chadgorosaurus4898 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Except the tail

    • @inyrui
      @inyrui ปีที่แล้ว

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

    • @ImTheWarlock64
      @ImTheWarlock64 ปีที่แล้ว

      I was about to post the same :P

  • @romanphilson9275
    @romanphilson9275 ปีที่แล้ว +29

    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
      @NemoracStrebor ปีที่แล้ว

      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
      @BubblegumLightsaber ปีที่แล้ว

      @@NemoracStrebor Zekrom, probably?

    • @NemoracStrebor
      @NemoracStrebor ปีที่แล้ว

      @@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
      @mandymom2800 ปีที่แล้ว

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

  • @theearthboundchildren
    @theearthboundchildren ปีที่แล้ว +92

    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
      @cyberbrewington9422 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Same here

    • @birbmm9769
      @birbmm9769 ปีที่แล้ว +3

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

  • @4-kathryn
    @4-kathryn ปีที่แล้ว +16

    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
      @AnniChu 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

      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

  • @TheVideoViper
    @TheVideoViper ปีที่แล้ว +104

    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
      @TheVideoViper ปีที่แล้ว +8

      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
      @darkithnamgedrf9495 ปีที่แล้ว +11

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

    • @TheVideoViper
      @TheVideoViper ปีที่แล้ว +10

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

    • @JobiMorkos
      @JobiMorkos ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Burger King want you to remind this Pokeball

    • @Dargonhuman
      @Dargonhuman ปีที่แล้ว +5

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

  • @sircamquat
    @sircamquat ปีที่แล้ว +23

    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
      @moppupaws ปีที่แล้ว +6

      nothing stops bootleggers, they are too powerful

  • @SemiHypercube
    @SemiHypercube ปีที่แล้ว +68

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

  • @whatevergirl19
    @whatevergirl19 ปีที่แล้ว +18

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

    • @jmurray1110
      @jmurray1110 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      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
      @jmurray1110 ปีที่แล้ว +2

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

  • @EigengrauMonitor
    @EigengrauMonitor ปีที่แล้ว +91

    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
      @NonisLuck ปีที่แล้ว +21

      They could have LEAD PAINT

    • @spoons7649
      @spoons7649 ปีที่แล้ว +19

      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
      @shadowthief6471 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Sell them me boi I love those figures

    • @Caliburn096
      @Caliburn096 ปีที่แล้ว

      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
      @chromelightsaber_hilt8121 ปีที่แล้ว

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

  • @flopfan
    @flopfan ปีที่แล้ว +104

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

    • @moggingyou
      @moggingyou ปีที่แล้ว +4

      same.

    • @vjcthegamersecondchannel5561
      @vjcthegamersecondchannel5561 ปีที่แล้ว

      #early-gang

    • @vjcthegamersecondchannel5561
      @vjcthegamersecondchannel5561 ปีที่แล้ว +1

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

    • @vjcthegamersecondchannel5561
      @vjcthegamersecondchannel5561 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@shinyman250 HOW

    • @djriolu234
      @djriolu234 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      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?

  • @NFMGDS
    @NFMGDS ปีที่แล้ว +72

    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
      @Oli6906 ปีที่แล้ว +4

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

    • @tntgames-yf4ne
      @tntgames-yf4ne ปีที่แล้ว +3

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

    • @GTA_500
      @GTA_500 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      They are all over the place in America too.

  • @andieanderssen780
    @andieanderssen780 ปีที่แล้ว +20

    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.

  • @David_McCoy
    @David_McCoy ปีที่แล้ว +14

    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.

  • @grandqueste
    @grandqueste ปีที่แล้ว +6

    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

  • @erinw1256
    @erinw1256 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    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
      @nidohime6233 ปีที่แล้ว +2

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

  • @YourPalRoss
    @YourPalRoss ปีที่แล้ว +6

    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.

  • @thecosplaycrafter8017
    @thecosplaycrafter8017 ปีที่แล้ว +16

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

  • @adultmoshifan87
    @adultmoshifan87 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    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!

  • @kevinkite3418
    @kevinkite3418 ปีที่แล้ว +35

    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
      @heroking3197 ปีที่แล้ว

      Interesting

    • @beatrizkassar123
      @beatrizkassar123 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Eu também ✌🏻

    • @kevinkite3418
      @kevinkite3418 ปีที่แล้ว

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

  • @skully9607
    @skully9607 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    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.

  • @sorasong9708
    @sorasong9708 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    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.

  • @guywhohasyoutube7723
    @guywhohasyoutube7723 ปีที่แล้ว +19

    A new Thomas Game Docs vid always brightens my evening

  • @Jamie_ThatJamGuy
    @Jamie_ThatJamGuy ปีที่แล้ว +20

    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
      @Dargonhuman ปีที่แล้ว +3

      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
      @Skywreckdemon ปีที่แล้ว +4

      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.

  • @justcomments
    @justcomments ปีที่แล้ว +13

    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.

  • @TummaDemoni
    @TummaDemoni ปีที่แล้ว +38

    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
      @jendorei ปีที่แล้ว +6

      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
      @Dargonhuman ปีที่แล้ว +2

      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.

  • @melsbacksfriend
    @melsbacksfriend ปีที่แล้ว +7

    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.

  • @yellohammer8571
    @yellohammer8571 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    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.

  • @penguen029
    @penguen029 ปีที่แล้ว +34

    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
      @chadgorosaurus4898 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Burn them

    • @chadgorosaurus4898
      @chadgorosaurus4898 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @☆cat_puppy☆ Flareon

    • @nyancat8828
      @nyancat8828 ปีที่แล้ว

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

    • @Cookie-qh7fl
      @Cookie-qh7fl ปีที่แล้ว

      I can relate

    • @penguen029
      @penguen029 ปีที่แล้ว +1

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

  • @flamshiz
    @flamshiz ปีที่แล้ว +2

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

  • @sarsaponia
    @sarsaponia ปีที่แล้ว +20

    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”

  • @thepuff5974
    @thepuff5974 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    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.

  • @timschultz9252
    @timschultz9252 ปีที่แล้ว +2

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

  • @KuuchWizard
    @KuuchWizard ปีที่แล้ว +2

    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
    @marinedragon ปีที่แล้ว +25

    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
      @vanityhusk ปีที่แล้ว +3

      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
      @marinedragon ปีที่แล้ว

      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.

  • @kndr2094
    @kndr2094 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    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.

  • @davestrides
    @davestrides ปีที่แล้ว

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

  • @keeganjohnson9754
    @keeganjohnson9754 ปีที่แล้ว +2

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

  • @knuclear200x
    @knuclear200x ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Watching ALL those costumed Pikachus take the escalator makes me anxious

  • @saravelasco5807
    @saravelasco5807 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    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
      @KasumiKenshirou ปีที่แล้ว +3

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

  • @kenziehurlock
    @kenziehurlock ปีที่แล้ว +2

    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.

  • @BirthdayBoyBlamObjectShow
    @BirthdayBoyBlamObjectShow ปีที่แล้ว +2

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

  • @axolotlfairy2473
    @axolotlfairy2473 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    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

  • @jackygemme863
    @jackygemme863 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    The great pokemon smuggling incident

  • @Flegz1
    @Flegz1 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Great video, Thomas!

  • @aquetzalcoatl4663
    @aquetzalcoatl4663 ปีที่แล้ว +2

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

  • @LostSoulSilver
    @LostSoulSilver ปีที่แล้ว +5

    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
      @scragar ปีที่แล้ว +2

      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
      @MalDD64 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I got some of these figures off Amazon

    • @ChicagoMel23
      @ChicagoMel23 ปีที่แล้ว

      It is too about protecting consumers

  • @PluckyInc
    @PluckyInc ปีที่แล้ว +5

    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.

  • @jayskydab4866
    @jayskydab4866 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    another great video Thomas!

  • @zakuraiyadesu
    @zakuraiyadesu ปีที่แล้ว +1

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

  • @Legoluigi26
    @Legoluigi26 ปีที่แล้ว +7

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

  • @MrChainChomp
    @MrChainChomp ปีที่แล้ว +5

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

    • @jackygemme863
      @jackygemme863 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      In an incinerator! Pikachu evolved into water bottle

  • @qwerpiez
    @qwerpiez ปีที่แล้ว

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

  • @shrekalmighty3059
    @shrekalmighty3059 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thanks for the tips at the end! 👍

  • @AuraOfANobody
    @AuraOfANobody ปีที่แล้ว +9

    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
      @Dargonhuman ปีที่แล้ว +1

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

    • @shadowthief6471
      @shadowthief6471 ปีที่แล้ว +1

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

  • @ethane7076
    @ethane7076 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Imagine going to jail for 20 years because of pokemon

  • @keags1018
    @keags1018 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Nice job Thomas!!!

  • @melsyoutube
    @melsyoutube ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Love your vids!!!

  • @sweptapostle2473
    @sweptapostle2473 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    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.

  • @m72860
    @m72860 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    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
      @m72860 ปีที่แล้ว +2

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

  • @jeffreythemonkey466
    @jeffreythemonkey466 ปีที่แล้ว

    Good vid. Keep it up Thomas

  • @crystaltulip_
    @crystaltulip_ ปีที่แล้ว

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

  • @briannar1584
    @briannar1584 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    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.

  • @ilovetallyhallalot
    @ilovetallyhallalot ปีที่แล้ว +3

    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

  • @SuunTM
    @SuunTM ปีที่แล้ว +1

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

  • @YoutubeHatesJapaneseLetters96
    @YoutubeHatesJapaneseLetters96 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

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

  • @PsychOsmosis
    @PsychOsmosis ปีที่แล้ว +3

    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.

  • @Topbeehler
    @Topbeehler ปีที่แล้ว +3

    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

  • @outsider9149
    @outsider9149 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Cool vid... keep up the good work.

  • @jimmyjackson2393
    @jimmyjackson2393 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    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

  • @Jezzikinz
    @Jezzikinz ปีที่แล้ว +3

    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

  • @raizerker
    @raizerker ปีที่แล้ว +4

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

  • @Ms.Chalice-TheLegendary
    @Ms.Chalice-TheLegendary ปีที่แล้ว +1

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

  • @Its_A_Mii
    @Its_A_Mii ปีที่แล้ว +1

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

  • @1Psyblade1
    @1Psyblade1 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    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
      @Men_Am_I_Right ปีที่แล้ว

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

    • @KasumiKenshirou
      @KasumiKenshirou ปีที่แล้ว +2

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

    • @ForumcoldiArchon
      @ForumcoldiArchon ปีที่แล้ว +1

      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
      @smolmuffin ปีที่แล้ว

      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.

  • @birdfish86
    @birdfish86 ปีที่แล้ว +5

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

  • @BobTheAwesomeBob
    @BobTheAwesomeBob ปีที่แล้ว +1

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

  • @quickscope8034
    @quickscope8034 ปีที่แล้ว

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

  • @harlandspringer303
    @harlandspringer303 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    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
    @CabinetsAndCupboards ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Unrelated but I just had some goodass dinosaur nuggies

  • @321kittystar
    @321kittystar ปีที่แล้ว +1

    *smuggles bootleg Pokémon toys*
    “Hey Taylor. Whatcha doin?”
    “Oh I’m smuggling these fake pokemon figurines to America.”
    “… so is it illegal?”
    “Yes Max. Yes. It’s illegal.”
    “*laughing*”
    “I know right?”
    “Pay us that money.”
    “How much?”
    “759 thousand.”
    “Guess it’s the end for us.”

  • @hello_astro
    @hello_astro ปีที่แล้ว +2

    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.

  • @SendFoodz
    @SendFoodz ปีที่แล้ว +4

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

  • @mattsmocs3281
    @mattsmocs3281 ปีที่แล้ว

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

  • @warriorstar2517
    @warriorstar2517 ปีที่แล้ว +1

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

  • @TheZebbga
    @TheZebbga ปีที่แล้ว +5

    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
    @danimallover01 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Pikachu breakin the law

  • @binniethepug9835
    @binniethepug9835 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    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

  • @FreakishSmilePA
    @FreakishSmilePA ปีที่แล้ว

    Harrisburg Pennsylvania! I'm from the Harrisburg area! Very cool to hear it from a video 👏👏