Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – Thousands of Halloween party items have been seized throughout Italy. During the holiday, officers from the Milan Provincial Command of the Guardia di Finanza intensified their checks, and financial officers from the Legnano Group focused on two large warehouses in the Legnano area. The checks resulted in the seizure of over 18 items, including decorations and party accessories, that were improperly marked with the CE mark, which is not required for this type of product and is used to mislead consumers about their true traceability and quality.
Subsequent investigations, developed through the reconstruction of the commercial supply chain, allowed us to trace a company in the province of Monza and Brianza, identified as the main supply channel for the non-compliant goods.
Based on the evidence gathered, the police conducted a search of the company's premises, finding and seizing an additional 170 party items and accessories, including ready-to-sell Christmas decorations, which also improperly bore the CE marking. The legal representatives of the businesses involved were charged with fraud in the trade and sale of industrial products with false markings.
Approximately 2.500 Halloween-themed items, including stuffed animals, decorations, gadgets, and various toys, were seized by the Arezzo Financial Police as part of a series of safety checks on products sold in the area.
The operation, conducted by the Arezzo Group of soldiers on the orders of the provincial command of the Guardia di Finanza (Fiamme Gialle), has been intensified in anticipation of the upcoming Halloween holiday. The aim is to verify compliance with consumer protection regulations and combat the sale of non-compliant products.
In particular, the investigations concerned compliance with the provisions of Legislative Decree 54/2011, regarding toy safety, and the Consumer Code (Legislative Decree 206/2005).
The seized items were found to lack the CE marking and the minimum mandatory information, including information regarding the origin and composition of the materials. These deficiencies prevent verification of the products' compliance with safety standards and could conceal the presence of toxic substances or allergens, potentially harmful to consumers' health. The owners of the businesses involved were assessed administrative fines ranging from €1.500 to €10.000.
The Guardia di Finanza (Fiamme Gialle) of the Formia Group, in the province of Latina, carried out a series of checks throughout the area, including a shop in Spigno Saturnia. They identified and seized approximately 3000 Halloween items, including masks, costumes, decorations, and accessories of various kinds that were non-compliant and deemed dangerous. If placed on the market, these items would have generated thousands of euros in revenue.
Specifically, the products, originating from non-EU countries, were being sold without the mandatory information required by national and European regulations, including information regarding the nature and composition of the products, the company name, and the address of the importer or manufacturer. The violations identified led to the seizure of the potentially dangerous products. The business owner was reported to the competent Chamber of Commerce.
In the run-up to Halloween, the Ragusa Provincial Command's Finance Police seized over 17.000 items from three separate businesses because they did not comply with required standards. Specifically, the investigations conducted in recent days by the Ragusa Group and the Vittoria Company at businesses in the province identified Halloween items on the shelves, including masks, costumes, wigs, decorative pumpkins, makeup, toys, and costume jewelry, which lacked the minimum information requirements set forth in the Consumer Code for consumer protection.
The products were found to lack the CE marking, instructions in Italian, and information about the materials they are made of. The three owners were reported to the Chamber of Commerce and are subject to administrative fines of up to €25.823 each. The seized goods, once confiscated by the competent authorities, will be destroyed.
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