This is a  nice example of how the US Federal government is happy to interpret international law to the letter in the case of a small company, whereas it ignores it for larger companies. As a result Jimmy Page may well have to lend Gibson Guitars a helping hand because it might be facing something of a cash flow crisis in coming months –

Three weeks ago a group of agents armed with sub-machine guns raided the Tennessee factories of the guitar-maker, siezing $1 million dollars worth of Indian Ebony and Rosewood. Gibson – a thriving artisan company uses these exotic hardwoods in fretboards etc. because they give a unique tone.

The wood was imported legitimately under US law, but that isn’t good enough for the tough guys of the department of Justice. It turns out that the Lacey Act – a 100 year old law banning the import of endangered materials – requires companies to abide by the laws o other countries too. Gibson may have breached a caluse in India’s legal code which states that all wood exports have to finished by Indian workers.

Gibson of course, can’t realistically be expected to interpret every law of every country successfully, and may now have to close for good.

Thanks to The Week magazine where I read this!