During early morning raids in east London’s Leyton and Ilford, the City of London Police seized £140,000 in cash along with 500 fake airbags.
The US Department of Homeland Security provided a tip, and the City of London Police’s Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) conducted the raids.
The airbags may have been brought into the UK from China and then sold overseas for as little as £25.
On suspicion of fraud by false representation, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to distribute counterfeit goods, three males, ages 34, 36, and 51, were placed under arrest.
Since then, they have been freed while an inquiry is ongoing.
“Those who purchase and install counterfeit airbags in their vehicles run a serious risk,” stated Detective Chief Inspector Emma Warbey of the City of London Police.
Because these airbags aren’t made in accordance with industry standards, there’s a serious chance that they won’t inflate in the event of a crash or will deploy incorrectly.
