Several Meat Thieves Have Been Busted For A $9 Million Scheme

Investigators still haven't solved the ongoing mystery of the $21K Cadbury Chocolate heist, but the same can't be said for the alleged culprits of another massive food scheme. In July of 2022, The Fence Post reported that five different law enforcement agencies in Omaha, Nebraska pooled their wits in an attempt to catch the meat thieves who drove away from JBS Beef Plant with around $9 million worth of frozen beef in tow. "They're removing the GPS trackers from the trailers and have the acumen to know how to operate the truck and where to find the trailers," said Grand Island Police Captain Jim Duering, who speculated that the caper was helmed by "somebody who has been involved in the industry."

The outlet reported that the first installment of the heist took place on January 17 and that the suspect scored 40,000 pounds of beef trimmings using fraudulent documents. Months later, at a different branch of the JBS Beef plant, suspects filled tractor trailers with another $500,000 worth of beef and pork. This week, Food & Wine reports that findings from Homeland Security Investigations and the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office have led to the arrest of three suspects in Iowa. 

The thieves may have cleared the gates of the JBS Beef Plant by removing GPS trackers from their trailers, but Food & Wine reports that authorities were still able to trace the mobile devices used during the time of the theft. This led investigators to Iowa in early October, where they put GPS trackers on the meat-filled semi trucks in question and placed the arrests on three men "from the Miami area." Food & Wine adds that the suspects are being charged with the transportation of stolen goods and money laundering, among other things. 

In addition to the incidents in Nebraska, the suspects also nabbed large quantities of meat on 45 separate occasions from plants in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, per the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office. The defense attorney for one of the suspects told The Washington Post that he and his client "look forward to fighting the case" and will plead not guilty.