The Wall Street Journal had an interesting story today. It seems the Feds raided Gibson Guitar facilities in Nashville and Memphis this week, seizing pallets of wood, electronic files, and guitars. The Feds seized wood from Gibson in 2009 and they have been wrangling over it since then.
The issue seems to be whether the wood is from internationally protected wood. But wait, that's not all. It seems there is a strict liability law which essentially requires the owner to prove the wood or ivory is not protected, leading to overreaching (in my opinion).
That leads to the question. Is the wood on your stocks/grips legal? Is that set of ivories on that 1911 going to land you in jail?
It's really very scary to think you could be arrested for not having proper documentation; to place the burden on you to prove it's legal.
The issue seems to be whether the wood is from internationally protected wood. But wait, that's not all. It seems there is a strict liability law which essentially requires the owner to prove the wood or ivory is not protected, leading to overreaching (in my opinion).
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904787404576530520471223268.htmlConsider the recent experience of Pascal Vieillard, whose Atlanta-area company, A-440 Pianos, imported several antique Bösendorfers [piaons]. Mr. Vieillard asked officials at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species how to fill out the correct paperwork—which simply encouraged them to alert U.S. Customs to give his shipment added scrutiny.
There was never any question that the instruments were old enough to have grandfathered ivory keys. But Mr. Vieillard didn't have his paperwork straight when two-dozen federal agents came calling.
Facing criminal charges that might have put him in prison for years, Mr. Vieillard pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of violating the Lacey Act, and was handed a $17,500 fine and three years probation.
That leads to the question. Is the wood on your stocks/grips legal? Is that set of ivories on that 1911 going to land you in jail?
It's really very scary to think you could be arrested for not having proper documentation; to place the burden on you to prove it's legal.