Grace Bennett’s Toronto-based sex toy store was already dealing with tough times from U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs when the letter from the Pentagon arrived.
It was placed inside a returned box, next to a host of opened toys, and written by the military’s Naval Supply Systems Command fleet logistics centre in Bahrain. On its letterhead was the seal for the Department of Defense, recently renamed the Department of War.
“Adult item identified during X-ray mail screening,” read the subject line of the two letters Bonjibon received. And later: “Pornographic materials or devices are not allowed into the Kingdom of Bahrain.”
Bennett was shocked. And amused.
She’s the co-owner and co-founder of Bonjibon, an online sexual wellness shop that launched in 2019 and now has customers around the world. From a warehouse in Toronto, Bonjibon ships to the U.S., South America, Europe and Asia. The company does not ship to Bahrain.
But Bonjibon does ship to plenty of military bases, and it’s Bennett’s guess that the package was forwarded from there to someone stationed in Bahrain. Thanks to the items it contained, it never made it through.
Bennett declined to share the details of the items, citing customer privacy. One of the items, she confirmed, was an insertion toy. As it turns out, insertion toys are visible during X-ray mail screenings.
“Devices were identified in a package addressed to you,” the navy letter said, although the letter was included in the package sent back to Bennett and her team.
“The sentiment is still, ‘Stop sending butt plugs to Bahrain,’” Bennett said. “Here’s the thing — I don’t want to send them to Bahrain. I want to send them to whoever is ordering them, happily, in America.”
In response to a request from the Star, the Pentagon declined to comment.
“I’m sure this is not the first time,” Bennett said, “someone’s tried to send a vibrator to a soldier overseas in a country where they’re illegal.”
Bennett and her team found the letters, which arrived around July, hilarious and ridiculous. Last month, she framed the letters, one of which now lives in Bonjibon’s Toronto office.
Ultimately, she said, the message might be better received by the customers themselves.
“I do think it’s funny that they’re sending this letter to us, and letting us know how illegal it all is, when this wouldn’t have been going in the first place anywhere if their soldiers didn’t order it,” she said.
“It’s an inside problem. I’m just a girl in Canada trying to get everyone their vibrators.”
