District Court Blocks California Companies From Importing Unsafe Toys

The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California issued injunctions barring four California importers and six people associated with the companies from importing, selling or distributing children’s products containing high levels of lead and phthalates or small parts, said the Consumer Product Safety Commission on June 13. The companies include Toys Distribution Inc., dba TDI International, of Los Angeles and its owners Loan Tuyet Thai and Lan My Lam and manager Paul Phuong; S & J Merchandise Inc. of El Monte and its owner Cuc Thai and manager Tom Liu; BLJ Apparel Inc. of El Monte and its owner Luan Luu; and All Season Sales Inc., of Montebello and its owner Tom Liu. A complaint filed in district court in February alleges that the companies' toy cars, toy musical instruments, dolls and infant rattles violate federal lead, phthalate and small parts standards (see 14022501). CPSC says it tested “dozens of samples” of the companies’ products and toys as they attempted to enter the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach between 2008 and 2013. CPSC issued repeated Notices of Non-Compliance to the firms and their officers, notifying them that their products violated federal standards, it said.