√US authorities bust half-a-billion-dollar catalytic converter crime ring
An investigation by the US Justice Department has uncovered a nationwide crime ring which was involved in selling and processing stolen car exhaust catalytic converters which contain precious metals worth more than their weight in gold.
US authorities have busted a crime ring which allegedly made more than $US545 million ($AU846 million) from stealing, selling and extracting the precious metals from catalytic converters, vehicle exhaust anti-pollution devices that are worth more than their weight in gold.
Catalytic converters are targeted by thieves because they contain precious metals such as rhodium – worth approximately eight times as much as gold per gram.
Thieves sell the stolen catalytic converters to unscrupulous recyclers for cash, with the precious metals then extracted and sold to metal refineries.
Last week, law enforcement agencies in California ad eight other US states executed more than 32 search warrants – resulting in the seizure of millions of dollars in assets including homes, bank accounts, cash and luxury vehicles.
In a media statement, the US Justice Department said 22 individuals across two separate cases in California and Oklahoma have been indicted due to their involvement with the crime ring.
Court documents from the Eastern District of California allege Tou Sue Vang, Andrew Vang and Monica Moua operated an unlicensed business from their Sacramento home where they bought stolen catalytic converters from local thieves.
The Vang family later sold the stolen catalytic converters to DG Auto in New Jersey for more than $US38 million ($AU59 million), where the anti-pollution exhaust filters were processed by the unscrupulous company.
The US Justice Department alleges DG Auto knowingly purchased the stolen catalytic converters and extracted the precious metals, selling the materials to a metal refinery for more than $US545 million ($AU846 million).
Navin Khanna, Tinu Khanna, Daniel Dolan, Chi Mo, Wright Louis Mosley and Ishu Lakra were all arrested due to their involvement in the operation of DG Auto.
The defendants are facing charges of conspiracy to receive stolen catalytic converters and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
“With California’s higher emission standards, our community has become a hotbed for catalytic converter theft,” Eastern District of California Attorney Phillip A. Talbert said in a media statement.
“Last year approximately 1600 catalytic converters were reportedly stolen in California each month, and California accounts for 37 per cent of all catalytic converter theft claims nationwide.”
In Oklahoma, an additional 13 defendants reportedly purchased stolen catalytic converters from thieves before reselling and shipping the goods to DG Auto in New Jersey for processing.
Court documents allege DG Auto paid three of the 13 defendants more than $US64 million for the stolen goods – divided between Adam G. Sharkey ($US45 million/$AU70 million), Tyler James Curtis ($US13 million/$AU20 million) and Martynas Macerauskas ($US6 million/$AU9.3 million).
The US Justice Department claims DG Auto knew or should have known the catalytic converters were stolen when they paid for them.
Northern District of Oklahoma Attorney Clint Johnson claims more than 2000 catalytic converters were stolen last year in Tulsa – the state’s second-largest city.
In August, a police operation in the US city of Portland, Oregon uncovered more than 44,000 catalytic converters stolen from car exhausts – with an estimated street value of $US22 million ($AU34 million) at the time.
Earlier this year, Australian police warned car owners about the increase in catalytic converter thefts due to the rising value of the precious metals they contain.
Catalytic converters have been mandatory on all new petrol-powered cars sold in Australia since 1986, reducing emissions and noxious gases such as nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide from their engines.
Experienced thieves can take less than two minutes to steal the anti-pollution exhaust filters, which are next to impossible to trace.
One criminal reportedly crawled under at least five cars in a Sydney shopping centre car park, removing the catalytic converter from each one.
Tell-tale signs of a missing catalytic converter include louder exhaust noises and a rough-running engine.
If you have any information about the theft of catalytic converters or believe yours has been stolen, contact Crime Stoppers (1800 333 000).
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