A half-dozen people have been arrested in connection to an organized cargo theft ring operating in six counties.
Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that his Office of Statewide Prosecution filed charges of grand theft and conspiracy to commit grand theft against those suspects. He alleged that the group was involved in at least 32 cargo heists in Orange, Broward, Polk, Osceola, St. Lucie and Volusia counties.
Uthmeier said the stolen cargo amounted to a loss of several million dollars.
“This organized criminal operation targeted Florida’s supply chain and caused nearly $7.8 million in losses across our state,” Uthmeier said in a news release. “Thanks to the coordination between the Florida Highway Patrol, the Orlando Police Department, and our Office of Statewide Prosecution, this group was identified and dismantled. Now, they’ll answer for their crimes in court.”
The suspects arrested in the case include Alayn Espinosa Lopez, Yerrison Perez, Yasser Mederos Garcia, Alexis Suarez Hernandez, Alejandro Valdes and Arley Osmany Hernandez Relova. Uthmeier said investigators from multiple agencies started looking into the ring three years ago after a series of cargo thefts from semitrailers in the Orlando area.
The stolen merchandise included consumer electronics, copper wire, HVAC equipment, cooking oil and food products, energy drinks, wine and spirits, and other alcoholic beverages.
Investigators then determined the scheme involved an organized effort that sought out parked semitrailers in commercial areas, parking lots and distribution corridors. Investigators say the suspects would steal vehicles with cargo and disable GPS tracking devices in order to dodge law enforcement while moving the stolen goods to South Florida.
The merchandise was sold to other members of the conspiracy, who would turn around and sell the items for profit, according to investigators.
In a two-year period, some 51 commercial motor vehicles and 28 cargo shipments were stolen.