By Hugo Lhomedet, Maria Rugamer and Helen Reid

(Reuters) -Alibaba’s AliExpress said it has banned a China-based seller of childlike sex dolls from its marketplace after a Reuters examination of whether the sale of the products complied with European Union and U.S. laws.

Reuters first alerted AliExpress to the listings on November 14, when the company said it would remove them as a precaution but that the dolls did not breach its policies because they were of rigid construction with no sexual function.

However, in a subsequent statement to Reuters on November 25, AliExpress said it had “decided to permanently close down this seller because of their dishonesty on this serious matter”.

Reuters identified four listings of dolls resembling minors that were on sale in Europe and the United S

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