More than 200,000 dolls from China , apparently shipped for holiday gift-giving , wo n't be going to any American children because U.S. authorities seized the shipments and alleged the toys contained banned chemical compounds , officials said Tuesday . The toys contained high levels of phthalates , which are chemical plasticizers used to make materials softer and more pliable , authorities said . Congress has banned the chemical in children 's toys . The U.S. Commercial Targeting and Analysis Center began targeting the shipments in April because they threatened children 's safety , authorities said . `` Using advanced technology to track certain shipments before they reach our shores is helping CPSC better protect America 's consumers , '' Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Inez Tenenbaum said in a statement . U.S. authorities did n't identify the manufacturer of the toys Tuesday . A total of 10 shipments valued at almost $ 500,000 were seized at the ports of Chicago ; Dallas ; Los Angeles ; Norfolk , Virginia ; Memphis , Tennessee ; Newark , New Jersey ; Portland , Oregon ; and Savannah , Georgia , authorities said . Tenenbaum said her agency and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection have been targeting dangerous imports at several major ports through the use of a risk management system . Those efforts resulted in the seizure of more than 1.1 million unsafe products last fiscal year , authorities said . At the same time , the system also allows `` for faster processing of compliant products , '' she said . `` Expanding our port surveillance program is key to preventing injuries and achieving our long-term vision , '' Tenenbaum said . The U.S. toy industry lauded the seizure of the dangerous Chinese-made merchandise . `` The Toy Industry Association commends CBP and CPSC for their diligence and hard work at the ports to ensure that products violating strict federal safety laws never reach consumers , '' Ed Desmond , the group 's executive vice president of external affairs , said in a statement .
More than 200,000 dolls from China allegedly contain banned chemicals . Score: 6 Investigators used `` advanced technology '' to track down the shipments , officials say . U.S. Toy Industry Association praises seizure .