Federal authorities assigned to Los Angeles International Airport have confiscated more than 1,000 counterfeit or replica firearms entering the United States, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Tuesday.
The report released Tuesday shows that since the beginning of 2025, officers have seized and destroyed 953 replica guns and 203 suppressors.
US Customs and Border Security
In many cases, cargo from China is regularly labeled as “alloy miniature toys.”
The weapons are fake and cannot fire real live ammunition, but their appearance “can cause confusion at crime scenes, hinder the clarity of the evidence and ultimately hinder law enforcement work,” authorities said.
US Customs and Border Security
“If these items reach the streets, the outcome can be significant,” said CBP director of field operations in Los Angeles. “Replica firearms are not necessarily functional, but can easily be mistaken for real weapons by the public and law enforcement agencies. Such misidentification can have tragic consequences.”
Under federal law law, all fake or toy guns are sold or transported to bright orange plugs along the tip of a barrel or both sides of the barrel.
In California, displays of fake firearms in public can lead to criminal charges. This could result in a first-time offender receiving a $100 fine, $300 for a second offense and a third misdemeanor offense.
Since 2022, CBP officials have confiscated 2,890 replica firearms at US ports of entry.
Source link
