Prosecutors in Genoa have ordered the seizure of some 13,000 mini-scooters made in China amid a host of safety concerns including a cancer link.
Prosecutors said they were focusing on two makes of so-called 'pocket bikes', or miniature motorcycles, which broke the law on 30 counts.
The most serious concern, they said, were the tires which released carcinogenic vapours when the rubber on them heated up under speed.
They said the bikes were also unable to support the required weight and that their handles were faulty.
Police stressed that the bikes, which can reach speeds of up to 90 kph, were particularly dangerous for children even though they were often marketed as toys.
More than 1,000 of the pocket bikes were seized from a Rome distributor on Monday.
Investigators urged parents to beware of pocket bikes with a low price tag, saying that that those which conformed to safety norms cost around 1,000 euros or more whereas the ones at the centre of the current alert were being sold for less than 300 euros.
