U.S. authorities seize over $18 million in fake Gibson guitars from Asia

Authorities intercepted more than 3,000 counterfeit Gibson guitars that would have sold for over $18 million to buyers who thought they were genuine, according to a Tuesday statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. 

Gibson confirmed the guitars were fakes after representatives of U.S. Customs, Homeland Security, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department intercepted the cargo from ocean shipping crates. Authentic Gibson guitars are only made in the United States, the guitar company said. Guitars like this may look and feel like the real thing to unsuspecting buyers, and shoppers should keep that in mind this holiday season, said Cheryl M. Davies, director of Los Angeles field operations for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Is this a common bust for Border Patrol? U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in 2023 agents seized nearly 20,000 shipments containing fraudulent merchandise, totaling nearly 23 million counterfeit goods. The goods would fetch over $2.7 billion had they been genuine, and 46% of the fake items agents seized came from China and Hong Kong, the agency said.