Car Audio Exec Indicted for Drug Smuggling

A former prominent car audio executive who ran Audiobahn and Alphasonik has been indicted for smuggling drugs hidden in audio containers.

The drugs were found on a ship in Los Angeles bound for Australia. It was a record-breaking seizure of 1.7 tons of methamphetamine valued at $1.3 billion, reported the Sydney Morning Herald on Sunday.

Among the six people arrested for allegedly spearheading the shipment were Nasser Abo Abdo, of Audiobahn and Alphasonik and Leonor Fajardo. Both were apparently living in Melbourne Australia suburbs.

The drugs were hidden in boxes carrying the names Audiobahn and Alphasonik. A second report in 9News described a related drug seizure involving Abdo and Fajardo. The latter was involved in accounting at the companies.

Abdo, 52, was President of Audiobahn International Group, which launched in 1997. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2017, said the Herald, for failing to meet tax requirements, according to California’s Secretary of State.

Audiobahn was considered a major car audio brand in the late 1990’s, said industry members.

Three industry members who preferred not to give their names were, respectively, surprised, “not surprised” and “not really surprised,” at the indictment. One industry member said, “Honestly it is a bit depressing knowing that the hard work of many employees, reps, retailers and distributors is now tainted due to the unscrupulous actions of one person.”

One, who worked at the company over a decade ago, said “Never once did we see anything that would raise an eyebrow at something like that.”

Photo: Sydney Morning Herald

Source: Sydney Morning Herald, 9News

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