Walmart Fined $14,000 for Shipping Illegal Toy Guns to NY

New York Attorney General Letitia James dropped a重磅 on Walmart, fining the retail giant $14,000 for shipping illegal realistic toy guns to New York addresses. An investigation by her office, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), exposed that third-party sellers on Walmart’s online platform had been selling these toy guns, and Walmart was found responsible for shipping nine of them. The shipment included destinations in New York City, Westchester, and Western New York.

Under New York law, retailers are banned from selling or shipping toy guns that are black, dark blue, silver, or aluminum-colored and resemble real firearms. Realistic-looking toy guns pose a significant danger, as they can be misused in unlawful activities and have been linked to deaths and shootings across the state. For each violation, businesses face fines up to $1,000.

Attorney General James emphasized the gravity of the situation: “Realistic-looking toy guns can put communities in serious danger, which is why they are banned in New York.” She vowed that her office would hold any business accountable that violates this law. Walmart’s failure to prevent its third-party sellers from selling these toys was a clear violation.

The OAG investigation revealed how Walmart facilitated the illegal shipment through its fulfillment services. The investigators successfully purchased a toy gun from Walmart and had it shipped to New York. As part of the settlement, in addition to the $14,000 penalty, Walmart is required to ensure that all third-party sellers on their platform cannot sell imitation toy guns to New York addresses.

Attorney General James encouraged consumers to report any sightings of realistic-looking guns sold in stores or online by filing an online complaint with her office. This case was handled by Assistant Attorney General Andy Aujla, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ben Bruce, and Assistant Attorney General Kathryn Martin, all from the Division of Regional Affairs, along with Special Counsel for Complex Litigation Colleen K. Faherty and former Special Counsel Eric Haren. Data Scientist Blake Rubey, under Director Victoria Khan and Deputy Director Gautam Sisodia of the Research and Analytics Department, also supported the investigation.