NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Walmart has to pay thousands in penalties after it allowed third-party sellers to ship realistic-looking toy guns to New York addresses, breaking state law, Attorney General Letitia James announced Tuesday.
“Realistic-looking toy guns can put communities in serious danger and that is why they are banned in New York,” James said.
State law prohibits retailers from selling or shipping toy guns that are black, dark blue, silver or aluminum-colored, resembling real weapons. These objects can and have been used in unlawful activity, which has led to several deaths and shootings in the state, according to James.
The settlement comes almost a decade after a group of large retailers, including Walmart, entered into a consent order and judgment with then-New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and agreed to keep realistic-looking toy guns off their shelves. Civil penalties for the companies topped $300,000.
Play guns are required to be made in bright colors or entirely of transparent or translucent materials.
An investigation found that third-party sellers operating through Walmart’s online store sold the toy guns to New Yorkers, and that its fulfillment services shipped nine of them to addresses in New York City, Westchester and Western New York.
The retail giant now must pay $16,000 in penalties and fees while ensuring that all third-party sellers are unable to sell imitation guns to New Yorkers.
“We are committed to complying with all laws, and we have processes in place to ensure products offered for sale by third party sellers on our marketplace comply with all applicable laws as well,” a Walmart spokesperson said in a statement.
Consumers who see realistic-looking toy guns sold in stores or online with shipping to New York are encouraged to contact the attorney general’s office by filing an online complaint.
“The ban on realistic-looking toy guns is meant to keep New Yorkers safe and my office will not hesitate to hold any business that violates that law accountable,” James said.