More than 440,000 potentially dangerous products seized by Leicestershire Trading Standards at East Midlands Airport last year

Leicestershire Trading Standards stopped thousands of potentially unsafe items

They are worth more than £15.3million

More than 440,000 potentially dangerous items have been seized by Leicestershire Trading Standards at East Midlands Airport in the last year.

The seizures are worth more than £15.3m and include electrical goods which could overheat and cause fires, toys which failed to meet UK safety standards, jewellery with high levels of hazardous metals and cosmetics containing toxic ingredients.

Trading Standards work with Border Force on the project to identify, target and intercept potentially unlawful or non-compliant items. Most are destined for sale online.

Regulatory Services spokeswoman Cllr Deborah Taylor said: “Our Trading Standards team, in partnership with Border Force, carry out vital work which protects consumers in Leicestershire and the wider UK as it ensures that unsafe goods do not make their way into the supply chain.

“All these products either present a danger to the public, or are substandard, so it is crucial that they are intercepted and either made safe or sent for recycling.”