Venezuela’s government has gone to extraordinary lengths to spread Christmas cheer, announcing it will gift almost four million toys seized from the country’s largest toy company to poor children.

Authorities raided three warehouses run by Kreisel on Saturday (AEDT) after claims the company had hoarded toys in a bid to increase prices come Christmas.

“Almost 4 million toys will be distributed to our children by CLAP [Local Committee on Supply and Production],” tweeted Venezuela’s fair pricing regulator, referring to the country’s goods distribution agency.

“Our children are sacred, we will not let them rob you of Christmas,” tweeted the country’s pricing authority.

Strict price controls exist in the socialist state and President Nicolás Maduro recently ordered stores to reduce prices by 30-50 per cent.

The company is accused of hoarding toys since 2008, and reselling them at a margin of up to 25,000 per cent, according to CNN.

“We will not let these economic offenders steal the right to our children to receive their toys,” said William Contreras, director of Venezuela’s price control regulator.

“These are not entrepreneurs, they are thieves who tried to snatch Christmas from our children.”

The company is yet to respond to the allegations of price speculation, according to AP, but it has retweeted messages of support.

Authorities also arrested two company executives on suspicion of promoting price speculation.

#EnVídeo deposito lleno de juguetes acaparados por Kreisel en Caracas #JuguetazoVsAcaparamiento @NicolasMaduro pic.twitter.com/Kug7lixoOr

— Sundde (@sundde_ve) December 10, 2016

The move has divided opinion in the country, with some likening authorities to Robin Hood, and others labelling them “the Grinch”.

Critics say it’s a populist move that threatens the existence of private enterprise in the country.

“This was plundering of inventory. The government didn’t even respect the company’s right of due process,” Venezuelan Chamber of Commerce President Francisco Fernández told CNN.

Public demonstrations have been common in Venezuela since a sharp economic downturn took hold. Photo: EPA

The toy raids come at a turbulent time, with Venezuela rocked by recent economic and political turmoil typified by public protests against socialist President Maduro and widespread food and goods shortages.

In 2014, a steep drop in world oil prices hit the country’s economy hard, sparking violent clashes between activists and government forces, with a reported 43 deaths.

A demonstrator shouts insults against Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro during a protest in Caracas.

By May 2016, Mr Maduro had declared a 60-day state of emergency, following sustained public demonstrations from political opponents. He claimed the US was trying to destabilise his government, and vowed to see out his term, which ends in 2018.

Inflation in the country has hit 500 per cent, with continued shortages of food staples, such as rice, flour and chicken, medicine and medical other supplies.

Secret Santa

Venezuelan authorities are not the only ones taking unusual steps to spread Christmas cheer this year.

In the United States, a “Secret Santa” reportedly paid $46,000 worth of debts from 194 lay-by accounts at a Walmart store in Pennsylvania.

The company said a woman walked into the store with a cheque to settle the accounts, AP reported, to the delight of customers.

“Some people really needed that this Christmas and I’m just grateful and thankful that they can do that,” said Pamela Foor, one of the lucky recipients.