Banned toy guns on sale in city mall

Its location inside a supermarket in District 10 does not seem to keep the SURI toy and souvenir store from putting the banned, violent toys on shelves.

As observed by a Tuoi Tre reporter, dozens of plastic toy guns are displayed behind glass cases to attract customers at the store, located at Satra Mart shopping mall on 3 Thang 2 Street.

The store also sells meter-long guns, close replicas of real weapons. These guns use plastic bullets that can cause loss of sight and other severe injuries if used carelessly.

These toy weapons fetch VND85,000 to VND250,000 each, and none of them bears the CR (Conformity to Regulation) stamp as required.

Violent toys like guns and swords are completely banned from import and distribution in Vietnam.

The Ho Chi Minh City Market Management Agency said the number of cases in which traders are found selling illicit products has been on the rise this year.

In the third quarter alone, 124 violations have been detected, up by 83 cases from last year.

A market watchdog team has recently discovered thousands of smuggled toy weapons at a warehouse in District 6. All of the products are made in China. The violator has destroyed these stocks, according to officers.