1 of 3 | An authentic Gibson guitar will typically costs anywhere from $500 to $2000. But the knockoff versions, like these, often use lower-quality, toxic or possibly hazardous materials. Photo courtesy of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Nov. 27 (UPI) -- Thousands of fake Gibson electric guitars were seized this week in California that could have sold for millions of dollars, according to authorities.
Federal and state officials said this was the largest seizure of counterfeit goods of that brand and the biggest crackdown on fake musical instruments in history.
The guitars may look real, "but trust and believe they are not," Africa Bell, port director for the Los Angeles-Long Beach Seaport, said Tuesday at a news conference, NBC reported.
Officials said the roughly 3,000 counterfeit Gibson guitars -- which reportedly arrived from Asia -- would be valued at more than $18 million had they been original. A genuine Gibson guitar, they noted, is made in the United States.
The products were seized at the Los Angeles-Long Beach Seaport and destined for the e-commerce market, officials say. Few details were released about the alleged suspects, with officials citing an ongoing investigation.
The seizure was part of a multi-agency investigative effort by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, a CBP news release said Tuesday.
"They are fraudulent, and they are part of a massive attempt to con the American consumer," Bell said.
Nationwide last year CBP agents seized a total of 19,724 shipments of goods that violated intellectual property rights. It represented nearly 23 million counterfeit goods sent to the United States.
An authentic Gibson guitar will typically costs anywhere from $500 to $2,000 or more. But the knockoff versions, according to officials, will often use lower-quality, toxic or possibly hazardous materials.
This year Gibson made 50 EDS-1275 Doubleneck Collector's Edition as a replica of the same guitar Jimmy Page used on legendary rock band Led Zeppelin's smash hit "Stairway to Heaven" in 1971 -- and it came at a price tag of $50,000.
Gibson's" Government Series II Les Paul" guitar in 2014 had a starting price of $1,099.
A company official said a imposter Gibson will have a number of clues, such as misplaced logo.
"We can pick it up immediately and tell," said Beth Heidt, Gibson's chief marketing officer. "For the untrained eye, there are a couple of tips."
Heidt said the inlays may not be correct on a fake Gibson, and the weight of it may feel more flimsy, have finish issues and "the way the neck is fit into the guitar is inaccurate," she added.
By 1996, the Tennessee-based Gibson Inc. had produced the world's first production-line guitar made entirely of Smart Wood -- wood harvested under a renewable resources program overseen by the Rainforest Alliance.
"This [the seizure] is a big deal," Andrea Bates, a lawyer who represents Gibson, said Tuesday.
"They were able to facilitate to identify and to seize $18 million worth of counterfeit guitars. This is something that's incredibly significant," she added. "We are thrilled that they have worked with us and helped take these counterfeit guitars off the market."
Heidt noted that "generations of American families" have "dedicated their entire lives" to handcrafting Gibson instruments.
Federal officials say China and Hong Kong account for nearly 50% of counterfeit seizures and 84% of the value of counterfeit seizures.
"When shopping online, read seller reviews and check for a working U.S. phone number or address, and pay attention to the cost," advised Cheryl Davies, director of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Los Angeles Field Office.
Officials said the CBP's Fake Goods, Real Dangers website and its e-Commerce Awareness Guide shows additional tips and information to protect American families from counterfeit goods at StopFakes.gov.
"If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is," Davies said.