- 6,500 CHF fine imposed for violating Swiss weapons law
- Pink water pistols classified as imitation firearms
- Purchase made through Temu online marketplace
- Prosecutors: Appearance trumps color in firearm confusion risk
- Politician accepted penalty despite claiming ignorance of law
In a landmark case highlighting Switzerland's strict weapons regulations, local council member Marc Jaisli faced significant legal consequences for an unexpected purchase. The Buchs politician acquired brightly colored water guns from Chinese e-commerce platform Temu, intending them as gifts for his godchildren. Authorities nevertheless deemed the toys violations of Article 4 of Switzerland's Federal Act on Weapons, which prohibits realistic-looking imitation firearms.
Legal experts note this case reflects growing global scrutiny of imitation toys. A 2023 EU study revealed 18% of seized illegal firearms originated as modified toys, prompting tightened regulations across Europe. Switzerland's approach remains particularly stringent, with law enforcement required to assess both shape and coloration of replica weapons.
The ruling raises questions about consumer awareness in cross-border e-commerce. Jaisli's case marks the third Temu-related weapons violation in Switzerland this year, per customs data. Industry analysts suggest online marketplaces face increasing pressure to implement visual recognition systems to flag potentially non-compliant products.
A regional comparison shows Germany's 2021 Blue Water Gunscase resulted in similar fines, while French authorities focus more on projectile velocity. This disparity underscores the need for unified EU standards on imitation weapons, a topic currently being debated in Brussels.