Local 2 Investigates found thousands of toys seized at the Port of Houston because they don't meet U.S. safety standards.

There's nothing high-tech to the inspection process at the container examination station on North Wayside. U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspectors open boxes to see what's inside.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, they discovered thousands of red and white teddy bears they said pose a choking hazard to children. CBP Port Director Leslie Luczkowski demonstrated how easily the noses can be plucked right off the bears.

The stuffed bears were seized and will likely be destroyed.

It's the latest catch by Customs and Border Protection and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. In 2010 and 2011, inspectors seized 1,200 products for lead and paint violations and another 90,000 products for other safety violations.

Almost all of the items seized came from China. Luczkowski said some manufacturers probably realize their products don't meet

U.S. safety standards, but others send them without realizing they cannot be sold by U.S. retailers. 

If the importer doesn't make arrangements to ship banned products back, U.S customs destroys them.