Just thought this was something you should be aware of.
It may not effect you. However it appears the government has it in for various varieties of wood even if it not illegal to import it.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Gibson Guitars put a hold on making musical instruments Wednesday as dozens of federal agents swarmed company buildings in Nashville and Memphis.
US Fish and Wildlife Agents showed up at multiple Gibson locations with a search warrant in hand.
Immigration and Customs Officials assisted in the case. No one would say why they were searching Gibson buildings, but a source told NewsChannel Five it's related to an investigation that came less than two years ago.
Back in 2009, federal agents suspected that Gibson was illegally importing Rosewood and Ebony from Madagascar, then using the material to make guitars.
But folks who work near the plant aren't so sure.
"I've seen this before about illegal wood saying they haven't done anything wrong and I tend to believe them because it doesn't make sense for them to use illegal wood when they're established over 40-50 years some of the finest guitars in the world," Dave Maschinski said.
Environmentalists have long maintained that over harvesting has endangered Ebony and Rosewood, and disrupted the nation's native lemur population.
US Fish and Wildlife Agents said affidavits may soon be available to detail what was seized on Wednesday.
NASHVILLE, TENN. — Another chapter has been added to the battle between Nashville, Tenn.-based Gibson Guitars and the U.S. Department of Justice.
A day after federal agents raided Gibson facilities in Nashville and Memphis seizing pallets of wood, electronic files and guitars, the company's CEO held a press conference to say it did nothing illegal. Gibson Guitar was founded in Kalamazoo in 1894 and moved its headquarters to Nashville in 1984.
CEO Henry Juszkiewicz said at a news conference Thursday that federal agents didn't say what they were investigating during Wednesday's raids. But he said he believes the raid comes from suspicions that the company is illegally importing rose wood and ebony from India.
"What it does is it shuts down production because we use that as raw material. If they take our raw material we can't produce the product. So it's been extremely disruptive beyond the value content," said Juszkiewicz, according to a story from Nashville's NewsChannel 5 WTVF-TV.
According to a press release from Gibson, the heart of the issue comes down to the Department of Justice's interpretation of a law in India.
Federal agencies have "suggested that the use of wood from India that is not finished by Indian workers is illegal, not because of U.S. law, but because it is the Justice Department’s interpretation of a law in India. (If the same wood from the same tree was finished by Indian workers, the material would be legal.)," the Gibson press release said.
This is not Gibson's first brush with federal agents. In 2009, agents seized guitars and ebony fingerboard blanks from Madagascar, according to the Gibson press release and other stories.
Juszkiewicz said in the press release criminal charges have not been filed and the materials have not been returned to the company.
NASHVILLE, TENN. — Another chapter has been added to the battle between Nashville, Tenn.-based Gibson Guitars and the U.S. Department of Justice.
A day after federal agents raided Gibson facilities in Nashville and Memphis seizing pallets of wood, electronic files and guitars, the company's CEO held a press conference to say it did nothing illegal. Gibson Guitar was founded in Kalamazoo in 1894 and moved its headquarters to Nashville in 1984.
CEO Henry Juszkiewicz said at a news conference Thursday that federal agents didn't say what they were investigating during Wednesday's raids. But he said he believes the raid comes from suspicions that the company is illegally importing rose wood and ebony from India.
"What it does is it shuts down production because we use that as raw material. If they take our raw material we can't produce the product. So it's been extremely disruptive beyond the value content," said Juszkiewicz, according to a story from Nashville's NewsChannel 5 WTVF-TV.
According to a press release from Gibson, the heart of the issue comes down to the Department of Justice's interpretation of a law in India.
Federal agencies have "suggested that the use of wood from India that is not finished by Indian workers is illegal, not because of U.S. law, but because it is the Justice Department’s interpretation of a law in India. (If the same wood from the same tree was finished by Indian workers, the material would be legal.)," the Gibson press release said.
This is not Gibson's first brush with federal agents. In 2009, agents seized guitars and ebony fingerboard blanks from Madagascar, according to the Gibson press release and other stories.
Juszkiewicz said in the press release criminal charges have not been filed and the materials have not been returned to the company.
Well that is just messed up. Why doesn't the Government just keep pushing and then lo and behold....there goes another business overseas with lost jobs. If they didn't find anything 2 years ago what makes them think they will find something now?!?! REDICULOUS:angry:
Well that is just messed up. Why doesn't the Government just keep pushing and then lo and behold....there goes another business overseas with lost jobs. If they didn't find anything 2 years ago what makes them think they will find something now?!?! REDICULOUS:angry:
Exactly! If they keep this up Gibsons will soon be made in India or China! They need to start thinking about the few American manufacturing businesses that are barely holding on by their fingernails! The government talks about creating more jobs when they continually force American companies to move abroad with poorly thought out legislation! It sucks!
