Feds Raid Gibson Plant, Offices

WTVF-TV in Nashville, TN is reporting that Federal agents along with local police have raided a Gibson Guitars manufacturing plant in Nashville—

Sources say the Nashville-based guitar manufacturer is charged with violating the Lacey Act, a key piece of environmental law, for importing endangered species of rosewood from Madagascar.

NashvillePost.com reports that, according sources, Gibson was involved in a scheme that shipped the wood from Madagascar to Germany and then to the United States.

Rosewood is widely used in the construction of guitars and sells for $5,000 per cubic meter, more than double the price of mahogany. The island nation off Africa's east coast is a key producer of the hardwood, the export of which has links to international criminal activity.

Madagascar has struggled financially since a January coup and new President Andry Rajoelina issued an executive order in September legalizing the export of rosewood and ebony. The move was decried by environmental groups and political leaders worldwide, as hardwood forests are key to Madagascar's unique ecology and serve as a habitat for a dwindling lemur population.

A statement from Gibson released late Tuesday afternoon says the company is "fully co-operating" with the investigation. No charges have, as of yet, been filed.

Items were confiscated at the Gibson Guitars facility off of Elm Hill Pike today.