Como, 100 kg of fireworks, counterfeit Lego® bricks and 78.000 unsafe products seized

The Provincial Command of the Guardia di Finanza of Como, on the occasion of the upcoming holidays, has intensified controls relating to the marketing of fireworks, toys and commonly used products potentially dangerous for the safety and health of consumers and/or counterfeit.

In this context, The Finance Police of the Erba Company carried out an inspection, seizing over 8.200 pyrotechnic devices, with a total weight of approximately 115 kg, displayed for sale to the public without adopting the appropriate precautions, as required by national legislation on the specific sector..

During the inspection, the Finance Police also found packages of play bricks that were completely similar and compatible with the famous LEGO® bricks, put on sale in violation of the rules protecting patents, trademarks and other industrial property rights. The world-famous design of the toy brick is registered and protected within the European Union, as confirmed by the latest ruling of the General Court of the Court of Justice of the EU on 24 January 2024.

For these reasons, the legal representative of the company was reported at liberty to the local Judicial Authority.

During the inspection, the soldiers of the Erba Company also found approximately 78.000 unsafe objects, in violation of the provisions of the Consumer Code, the EU Directives on the safety of toys and the safety of materials in contact with food (MOCA).

For these violations, the legal representative was reported to the competent administrative authorities for the imposition of the expected pecuniary sanctions which, overall, will range from a minimum of €5.016,00 to a maximum of €80.823,00.

The intervention, which arose from an independent information-investigative activity, involved a well-known commercial establishment operating in the service district of the Erba Company.