Detectives close in on fake Teletubbies
DETECTIVES working to eliminate the makers of fake Teletubbies toys say they may call on officials to shut factories across the mainland.
The Hong Kong detective agency hired by the BBC to dismantle the counterfeit Teletubbies trade in Asia said it was compiling a blacklist of manufacturing centres.
Asian Security & Investigation Services said agents posing as potential buyers had been infiltrating factories in southern China.
'We send in people as salesmen looking to purchase,' agency head Frank Knight said. 'We've found the factories - we've got a couple but I'm sure there's more.' The agency's mainland operation was focusing on the makers of fluffy Teletubbies dolls.
Mr Knight said other merchandise based on the hit children's television series - clothing and toys - was a particular problem in South Korea and Thailand, which would be the subject of future anti-counterfeit campaigns.
Evidence on mainland factories would be presented to the People's Court in an unfair practice suit.
The procedure was expected to take a couple of months.
'But once we have listed all the ones that are manufacturing counterfeit products, we might take the whole list to the Government and say 'this has got to stop',' Mr Knight said.
