MADRID, Spain, Sept. 23 -- Officials at Brieva prison, northeast of Madrid said today that they had no way to explain how 100,000 teletubbies were being produced at the penitentiary. Spanish police impounded the illegal Teletubbies Wednesday, after disclosing that the popular children's dolls - made, in part, by women prisoners at the facility - were found in mid-production there.
The British Broadcasting Corporation reported that police had been acting on behalf of the BBC and Ragdoll Productions, which own the merchandising rights to the Teletubbies television series. And when Spanish Radio today sought comment from officials at Brieva prison, none there would explain how prisoners had been allowed to take part in the illegal mass production of copies of Laa-Laa, Po, Dipsy and Tinky Winky. According to the BBC, prison officials were claiming the dolls had been ordered by a local businessman, who delivered the green, yellow, purple and red material with which to manufacture them. Prison officials told Spanish radio that they had no idea if the businessman had permission to produce Teletubbies dolls. Prisoners got the equivalent of $1.60 per doll. But Spanish police said the proper market price of a real doll in Spain is between $24 to $32. According to the BBC report today, word of the Teletubbies production at Brieva jail was so widespread within the Spanish penal system that prison officers' children had placed orders with jail staff. The series is known in Spain as Los Teletubbies, and is as popular with Spanish children as it is with British and American tots. ---
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