CRIMINAL CAPITALI$M 

Fake Gibson Guitars Worth $18M Seized at Los Angeles/Long Beach Ports

CBP reported the seizure was worth $18 million if the guitars had been genuine Gibson products (CBP)

Published Nov 27, 2024 7:29 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced the seizure of the 3,000 guitars that were intercepted at the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport. The counterfeit Gibson electric guitars, which originated from Asia, would have been worth an estimated $18 million had they been genuine.

They were seized after authorities flagged suspect containers and represented one of the largest seizures of counterfeit musical instruments. CBP, which apprehended the fake guitars working in conjunction with Homeland Security Investigations, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and Gibson representatives, did not reveal the country of origin or vessel that transported the suspect containers.

Gibson confirmed that the red, black, and orange electric guitars, including knockoffs of its famous Les Paul models, were counterfeit. The company confirmed to the authorities that its authentic guitars are only made in the U.S.

The seizure of the fake electric guitars comes as Gibson is celebrating its 130th anniversary this year. For the iconic brand that was founded in 1902 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the seizure was a major win in determination to protect its legacy of quality and craftsmanship, legendary music partnerships with artists, and efforts to promote and create more musicians.

Cheryl M. Davies, CBP Director of Field Operations in Los Angeles, said the fake Gibson guitars could have ended in the hands of unsuspecting consumers through e-commerce, street markets, unauthorized retailers, and person-to-person transactions.

 

 

Ranked among the busiest container operations in the U.S., the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach continue to record significant seizures of counterfeit goods. China and Hong Kong are the key sources of fake goods, with seizures from the two Asian countries accounting for 46 percent of counterfeit seizures and 84 percent of the value of counterfeit seizures. CBP highlights that a record-breaking $1 billion worth of counterfeit products were seized in 2022. That compares with the total cargo worth about $300 billion that passed through at the twin ports last year.

“Counterfeit goods fund criminal enterprises that engage in forced labor, smuggling, drug trafficking, and other illicit activities,” said Africa R. Bell, LA/Long Beach seaport CBP Port Director. “Counterfeiters are only interested in making a profit – they do not care about you or your family’s well-being or the well-being of our economy.”

CBP said it has developed proactive, aggressive, and dynamic enforcement measures to deter the importation of illicit goods and protect U.S. consumers and businesses, the objective of which is to fight intellectual property thefts. This comes when the menace of counterfeits is worsening, with the agency seizing 19,724 shipments containing goods that violated Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in the 2023 fiscal year. This equates to nearly 23 million counterfeit goods with a value of a staggering $2.7 billion if they were genuine.

New Hampshire's Port Director Fights Witness Tampering Charges

The harbor at Portsmouth, New Hampshire (Carol Highsmith / public domain)

Published Nov 27, 2024 10:46 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

The head of New Hampshire's port authority has pleaded not guilty to state charges of witness tampering and falsifying physical evidence, among other alleged offenses. 

Geno Marconi, 73, is head of New Hampshire’s Division of Ports and Harbors, which oversees the harbor at Portsmouth and the tidal section of the Piscataqua River. Among other facilities, the waterway is home to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, one of the Navy's four nuclear-capable repair yards. 

Marconi stands accused of improperly obtaining motor vehicle records and giving them to an alleged co-conspirator, Bradley Joseph Cook, the chair of the division's advisory council. The documents were records for "N.L.," identified by New Hampshire public media as Neil Levesque, vice chairman of the Pease Development Authority (PDA), which oversees Marconi and the state ports division.

Marconi has also been charged with witness tampering (retaliation), falsifying physical evidence and obstructing government administration.

Cook, Marconi's colleague on the port advisory council, faces a separate charge of perjury. He allegedly made false statements to a grand jury about whether he had been in contact with Marconi about the "pier use permit of N.L. [Neil Levesque]." Prosecutors have declined to provide further details of the case for the time being. 

Marconi has been on leave from his post at the Division of Ports and Harbors since April. His wife, state supreme court justice Anna Hantz Marconi, stands accused of interfering in the investigation by allegedly asking Gov. Chris Sununu to intervene in her husband's case. 

Hantz Marconi faces one charge of "attempt to commit improper influence" for calling the governor to talk about the charges against Geno Marconi. According to prosecutors, she told Gov. Sununu that the investigation into her husband's activities was meritless and driven by petty, personal biases, and that it needed to be wrapped up quickly. Hantz Marconi is on leave from her post at the state's highest court and has said that she plans to fight the charge.

According to his official biography, Geno Marconi grew up on New Hampshire's working waterfront and has been employed at its seaports since 1975. He holds a 1600-Tonne Master license, and he captained tugs, small cruise ships and other vessels over the course of his career. He is a recipient of the International Association of Maritime and Port Executives' lifetime achievement award (2023), and served as chairman of New Hampshire's Advisory Committee on Marine Fisheries.