More than 3,000 counterfeit Gibson guitars — which would have been valued at about $18 million if they were authentic — were seized from the Los Angeles-Long Beach Seaport as part of an multi-agency investigation.
The slew of fake electric guitars, in various shapes, colors, and sizes, were placed on display inside a Carson warehouse Tuesday during a press conference hosted by officials with the U.S Customs and Border Protection. The fakes featured a mix of guitar styles and other sister brands, including Gibson SG’s, Les Paul and Gretsch Guitars. The average retail cost for one of these authentic guitars would vary between $2,500 to $10,000, Gibson Chief Marketing Officer Elizabeth Heidt said.
The bust marked the largest seizure of fake musical instruments from the Port of Los Angeles and overall counterfeit Gibson guitars on record, Los Angeles-Long Beach Seaport Director Africa Bell said.
For the untrained eye, the fakes look real enough at first glance. Though upon closer inspection, the quality of the parts and specs have a cheap feel to them. The sound quality is also not the same, Heidt added.
Designed to mimic the iconic craftsmanship of the 130 year old company, the counterfeit guitars were attempted to be imported into the United States from Asia and later sold on websites to unsuspecting customers, officials said. Authorities did not disclose additional details about the case or whether any arrests were made, citing the ongoing investigation.
“With almost everything, there is a version that is fake,” Jaime Ruiz, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said. He added that this particular investigation was still “fresh” and began only a few weeks ago.
Officials said the bust highlighted a broader problem with intellectual property theft and warned consumers to be wary, with Black Friday around the corner, of fake imports being sold through third party websites or direct transactions.
“If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is,” said Cheryl Davies, Director for CBP’s Los Angeles Field Office.
Often, the money made from counterfeit goods is funneled into a wide range of illegal activities, including forced labor, and linked to transnational criminal organizations, Homeland Security Investigations agent John Pasciucco said.