Customs discovers 3000 fake Gibson guitars: worth $ 18 million!

Customs discovers 3000 fake Gibson guitars: worth $ 18 million!

In the port of Long Beach, California, customs and border protection officers have confiscated an impressive amount of over 3000 fake electric guitars from the renowned Gibson brand. If they were real, they would have achieved a sales price of around $ 18 million (around 17.1 million euros). According to information from the AP news agency, the guitars from Asia were shipped, but the US customs authorities did not comment on the exact origin of the counterfeits. The investigation of customs and border protection, home protection and the sheriff from the Los Angeles County continues. Gibson himself confirmed that the confiscated instruments are fake products and warned that they could appear legitimate for unsuspecting buyers, so that they are often sold through online providers or unauthorized retailers.

import of musical instruments: risk of counterfeiting and hidden costs

The Rhineland-Palatinate Tax Consultant Chamber warns that the import of musical instruments from non-EU countries can quickly lead to unexpected costs. Many music lovers and prospective musicians often look for bargains abroad, but they often overlook the necessary customs and import sales taxes. From a purchase price of 150 euros, import sales tax and customs fees must be paid, with the customs set height for musical instruments between 3.2% and 3.7% of the value of the goods. In an example, where a guitar is ordered for 3000 euros and shipping costs of 150 euros, there is a total amount of 3865 euros according to taxes. Sellers who try to manipulate the goods values or to offer gifted packages also expose themselves to the risk of tax evasion, since these packages are often controlled by customs, such as Importeur-werden.de reports.