RALEIGH, N.C. — A local man pleaded guilty this week to importing thousands of counterfeit car airbags into Raleigh over the course of two years.
The counterfeit airbags were sold locally and online through Facebook Marketplace.
According to court documents, Mateen Mohammad Alinaghian – an engineer for the North Carolina Department of Transportation – imported around 2,500 counterfeit air bags into Raleigh between May 2022 and April 2024.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina said Alinaghian got the airbags from a supplier in the United Kingdom. The products were marked with counterfeit Honda, Chevrolet, General Motor, and Toyota logos.
On Facebook Marketplace, Alinaghian used different seller profiles with the names ‘Matt AutoParts’ or ‘Medo Smith.’
In testing, the airbags often malfunctioned, either not fully inflating or inflating late.
The Department of Homeland Security’s investigations agency (HSI) led the probe into Alinaghian’s business dealings, along with the U.S. Department of Transportation, and Office of Inspector General.
The investigation included a search of Alinaghian’ s house and multiple seizures by Customs and Border Control of in-bound packages from the U.K. containing counterfeit airbags en route to the 31-year-old.
“In this case, the defendant put profit over safety,” acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar said in a statement.
Overseas in the U.K., London police confiscated a total of 500 counterfeit airbags and an more than $180,000 in cash. Three men were arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to distribute counterfeit goods, officials said.
From September 2023 to July 2024, three people in the U.S. were killed and two people suffered injuries due “substandard replacement airbags,” the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.
The HSI encourages anyone who thinks they may have purchased a counterfeit airbag to consult their brand’s dealership or a mechanic. You can also report it to your local HSI office or submit an online complaint to the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
HSI is asking anyone who believes they could be a victim of Alinaghian to call them at 919-677-6392.
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