ICE Arrests Two for Trafficking in Counterfeit Airbags Imported from China
Two metropolitan Detroit residents face criminal charges after their arrest during an enforcement action targeting counterfeit air bags allegedly imported from China, said Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. Samar Ayoub, 39, of Dearborn Heights, Mich., and Hussein Jomaa, 30, of Dearborn, Mich., are charged in a criminal complaint with knowingly trafficking counterfeit merchandise, ICE said. Trafficking in counterfeit merchandise carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
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According to the complaint, Jomaa bought Honda-branded air bags and other Honda trademark-infringing items from Ayoub in late 2011. Jomaa, the documented general manager of Eagle Auto in northwest Detroit, indicated he bought the air bags and other counterfeit parts to place in vehicles destined for Africa, ICE said. Ayoub is alleged to have originally bought the air bags and other items from a manufacturer in China.
The arrests were part of an investigation that led to an Oct. 10 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) consumer safety advisory to alert vehicle owners and mechanics to the dangers of the counterfeit air bags. While the counterfeit air bags seized in the investigation look nearly identical to certified, original equipment parts -- including bearing the insignia and branding of major automakers -- NHTSA testing showed consistent malfunctioning ranging from non-deployment of the air bag to the expulsion of metal shrapnel during deployment. NHTSA said it believes this issue affects less than 0.1 percent of the U.S. vehicle fleet and only vehicles which have had an air bag replaced within the past three years by a repair shop that is not part of a new car dealership may be at risk. ICE's report on the NHTSA report is available here.