Thread: Illegal aliens indicted for operating a counterfeit vehicle airbag business

I.C.E. News Releases

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
05/05/2017

Mexican siblings indicted in New Mexico for operating a counterfeit vehicle airbag business




ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Two siblings, both illegal aliens from Mexico, made their initial appearances Thursday in federal court on a three-count indictment charging them with trafficking in counterfeit vehicle airbags.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents investigated this case.

Dina Gonzalez-Marquez, 23, and Emilio Gonzalez-Marquez, 21, were arrested Wednesday for allegedly operating a counterfeit airbag business out of their Albuquerque residence.

The indictment charges the siblings with conspiring to traffic in counterfeit goods and two counts of trafficking in counterfeit goods. According to the indictment, Dina Gonzalez-Marquez and Emilio Gonzalez-Marquez conspired to traffic in counterfeit goods from January 2015 to March 2017 by operating a business that sold counterfeit airbag modules and counterfeit airbag covers out of their residence.

They allegedly facilitated the conspiracy by listing and selling counterfeit airbag modules and airbag covers online, shipping the counterfeit goods to purchasers, and conducting in-person sales of the counterfeit goods. The indictment alleges that undercover HSI special agents purchased counterfeit goods from the defendants on two occasions. Specifically the indictment alleges that a special agent purchased a counterfeit airbag from the defendants in August 2016, and another special agent purchased a counterfeit airbag cover from them in March 1, 2017.

“This investigation is another example of HSI’s commitment to safeguarding the American people and protecting the integrity of U.S. commerce,” said Waldemar Rodriguez, special agent in charge of HSI El Paso. “Selling counterfeit life-saving devices, such as airbags and airbag components, is an act of reckless disregard for the safety and well-being of others. HSI’s efforts and pursuit of these criminal enterprises will no doubt help save lives.”

Dina Gonzalez-Marquez and Emilio Gonzalez-Marquez remain in federal custody pending arraignment and detention hearings, which are scheduled for May 5.

If convicted of the charges in the indictment, Dina Gonzalez-Marquez and Emilio Gonzalez-Marquez each face a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $2 million.

Charges in indictments are merely accusations, and all criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/me...irbag-business

These people disgust me beyond end. They're all criminals, it's why they aren't in their home countries to begin with.

Specifically the indictment alleges that a special agent purchased a counterfeit airbag from the defendants in August 2016, and another special agent purchased a counterfeit airbag cover from them in March 1, 2017.

If I were HSI I wouldn't be patting myself on the back just yet! EXACTLY how many airbags did these scumbags sell in the EIGHT months they were allowed to keep selling this crap? The potential of people being hurt or killed by this is unreal! Am I the only one disgusted that our government allowed this to go on for 8 months?

An investigation takes time.
They have to determine where the airbags are coming from
so they can go after the suppliers.
They have to know where they are going,
so they can go after the people who sell them to other businesses,
that may or may not know they are counterfeit.
Now they can go after the mechanics and body shops that bought them and sold them to customers and alert the insurances companies and customers who paid for them that they are fake and make them replace them with real ones.

I understand what you're saying, I do. But I also know I would be hopping mad had I been someone the government allowed to purchase one of these! I'm sure a lot of people knew what they were getting, but what about the innocents? Everyone is looking for a deal, and if my car had been under that massive recall on airbags I might have been one (if I lived in NM.)! They didn't really say if these were defective, but what if they were? Innocent families were exposed to this.

Originally Posted by nomas

. . . Everyone is looking for a deal, and if my car had been under that massive recall on airbags I might have been one (if I lived in NM.) . . .

Every car in the recall gets a new airbag installed for free by the manufacturer, at the dealerships.
And, these airbags could be anywhere, not just N.M., because they were selling them online.
The people who buy these online are usually people who don't have insurance, had an accident and have to pay for them themselves.
Or small body shops that want to make more money.