Customs Seizes Over 1,000 Replica Firearms at LAX

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials have seized over 1,000 replica firearms and suppressors at Los Angeles International Airport since the start of 2025, with 953 of these items already destroyed. The replica weapons, which were misdeclared as 'alloy miniature toys', primarily originated from China and have raised significant safety concerns due to their realistic appearance, which could lead to confusion for law enforcement and the public. Cheryl Davies, the CBP Director of Field Operations, emphasized the potential dangers these items pose if they were to reach the streets, as they can be mistaken for real guns. Federal law mandates that toy and imitation firearms must have a blaze orange marker to distinguish them from real weapons, and California law imposes fines for displaying such items in public. The ongoing collaboration between CBP and the Consumer Product Safety Commission aims to prevent these illegal products from entering the U.S. market. Since 2022, a total of 2,890 replica firearms have been seized at American ports of entry.