China Confiscates 8,000 Rolls of Toilet Paper with Face of Pro-Beijing Leader for Shipment to Hong Kong

Feb 08, 2015 05:08 AM EST

(Photo : Reuters) A man sells toilet paper printed with portraits of Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying and IKEA's plush wolf "Lufsig" (L) at a Chinese Lunar New Year market in Hong Kong January 29, 2014. Lufsig and Leung made a cameo on novelty toilet paper at stalls selling wares for this week's Lunar New Year festivities. A stall run by Hong Kong's liberal pro-democracy Democratic Party, offered two designs, one depicting the cuddly wolf, the other of Leung. The wolf became wildly popular when it was tossed at the city's embattled leader at a public meeting in December. REUTERS/Bobby Yip (CHINA - Tags: POLITICS SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

It would have been a bestseller Chinese New Year gift and revenge for Hong Kong residents who don't like the special administrative region's chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, perceived as kowtowing to Beijing.

Unfortunately, the 8,000 rolls of toilet paper with the face of Leung on it - perfect for wiping behinds after defecating - didn't make it to the former Crown Colony because the items were confiscated by southern China authorities, reports the Economictimes.

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The shipment were supposed to be retailed at a Hong Kong market, said Hong Kong Democratic Party Vice Chairman Lo Kin-hei.

It was the party that ordered the toilet paper through friends in Shenzhen so the party won't be identified.

The party decided to double the number of toilet papers with the face of Leung after a similar design sold in 2014 was a bestseller.

Leung would likely take offence is he learns that beside his face being placed on the image of a toiletry used for wiping dirty buttholes, the image used for this latest edition was a caricature. It showed the pro-Beijing leader with fangs and the words "lying" imprinted on his forehead.

Authorities also seized another set of toilet paper rolls that had the hammer and sickle insignia of the Communist Party of China as its design.

Lo said the Shenzhen authorities didn't explain why they seized the toilet papers worth US$12,900, but he surmises, "I guess (the Chinese officials) didn't like people mocking government officials, especially high-ranking government officials, after the movement. They have become more cautious about criticisms about them," quotes the Indian daily.

According to the South China Morning Post, the toilet paper maker had previously made toilet paper with faces other world leaders on it, such as U.S. President Barack Obama, but it didn't have any problem with Chinese authorities then.