Caroline Sargent, city council cabinet member for enforcement, with one of the fakes

A COMPLAINT from a Westminster mum about a toxic smells coming from a children’s toy led to a raid on a store where almost 200 knock-offs were seized.

Trading standards teams busted a shop in Victoria selling “squishy” toys, some carrying fake branding from names including Starbucks, McDonald’s, Sprite and Coca-Cola.

The mother’s eight-year-old daughter had complained of a foul chemical smell coming from a toy branded a “NeeDoh nice cube”.

There have also been reports of children putting the squishy toys – which are shaped like dumplings – in microwaves in the latest misguided TikTok craze.

The social media films suggest heating up the gel content makes it more “squishable”.

But in some cases the toys exploded and children were burned.

Hundreds of the toys have been recalled for safety checks following complaints with trading standards urging “consumers to be cautious when purchasing these toys and to avoid any products that have a strong chemical smell”.

Speaking after the raid, the Westminster’s deputy leader Councillor Caroline Sargent said: “Thanks to a call from one quick-thinking mum, we were able to take a haul of these fake and potentially unsafe toys off the streets.

“The pirates see easy money in copy-catting the craze toy of the moment. These toys often look like food and contain unknown chemicals which could also pose a real risk to young children as well. We will keep doing our utmost to squash the fake squishy trade.”

Trading standards officers say Westminster is now awash with fakes that give off an unpleasant chemical smell and may contain dangerous chemicals that can cause injury or illnesses.