Counterfeit airbags were sold on eBay to unsuspecting shops and individual customers for prices ranging from $100 to $725 each
Memphis, Tenn.—A federal judge has sentenced Mohammed Al-Abadi, 52, a retired auto mechanic, to 24 months in federal prison to be followed by two years of supervised release for trafficking in counterfeit motor vehicle airbags and transporting a hazardous material on an aircraft carrier without declaring it as a dangerous good.
According to information presented in Court, from 2017 to 2021, Mohammed Al-Abadi imported counterfeit motor vehicle airbag parts from China and assembled the parts to make counterfeit airbags. Al-Abadi then sold the fake airbags on eBay to unsuspecting automobile repair shops and individual customers for prices ranging from $100 to $725 each.
A shipment of counterfeit airbag parts, ordered by Al-Abadi, was intercepted by agents from the United States Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Federal agents recovered more than 2,000 counterfeit airbag parts and counterfeit airbags from Al-Abadi’s residence and place of business.
Further investigation determined that Al-Abadi had sold more than 500 counterfeit airbags over the course of four years. Additionally, Al-Abadi shipped at least one counterfeit airbag by airplane without declaring it as an explosive device or dangerous good, so that the mandatory federal safety precautions could be taken.
“The importation of counterfeit automotive parts poses a significant safety threat to the American people, putting innocent consumers at serious risk of injury or death with the installation of these inferior airbags from China,” said Homeland Security Investigations Nashville Special Agent in Charge, Rana Saoud. “HSI, alongside our law enforcement partners, remain steadfast in investigating and disrupting these illegal operations to protect public safety and ensure the well-being of our communities.”
Joseph Harris, Special Agent-in-Charge, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Southern Region, added, “Counterfeit airbags are neither regulated nor tested to meet federal safety standards, and they pose a serious risk to public safety — both during shipping and when unknowingly installed by consumers.”
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