It is a treasure found by the American law enforcement agencies that was unexpected to say the least. In the United States, in Los Angeles and Orange counties in California, searches were carried out during an operation against organized crime on April 10, reports The Parisian. Investigators got their hands on loot worth a total of $300,000, or nearly 282,000 euros, mostly Lego boxes, video games and films.
Resales online or in person
According to American media, three men and a woman aged 35 to 47 were arrested. This group spotted the most expensive and limited edition game boxes in department stores (Target, Home Depot, etc.) and then resold them, in person or on the Internet.
As reported in the daily, Lego trafficking is not new across the Atlantic. Recently, in 2023, a specialized store located in Las Vegas suffered four thefts shortly after its opening, for a loss of around 2,000 dollars (a little less than 1,900 euros).
A popular international brand
It should be noted that the Danish company Lego is showing good economic results. It consolidated its position as the world number one in toys in 2023, even if its net profit fell by 5% during a year marked by investments in the fields of sustainability and digital technology. Its turnover increased by 2%, to 65.9 billion crowns (8.8 billion euros), it announced Tuesday in its annual report, a record amount for the family group which continues to to gain market share.
Retail sales – the figures for which he does not specify – increased by 4% during a difficult year for the toy industry due to high inflation. Net profit, on the other hand, contracted by 5% to 13.1 billion crowns (1.76 billion euros).
The popularity of the manufacturer’s products, the famous little bricks, which increased tenfold during the pandemic with time spent at home, cannot be denied, according to its management. Lego was the world number one in the games market with a market share of 14% in 2022, according to market analysis firm Statista. No figures were available for 2023.