Three men face grand theft cargo charges for $1.3 million seafood heists

0
10K


Authorities in Florida have arrested and charged three men in connection to a large-scale cargo theft scheme.

 

Rene Hechevarria Echemend, 33, Ernesto Aguilera Baute, 36, and Jose Luis Batista Suarez, 40, were arrested on August 4 on charges of grand theft cargo of over $50,000 and obtaining property over $5,000, according to NBC Miami.

Authorities say that the three men were part of a scheme to steal more than $1.3 million worth of seafood from NETUNO, a Fort Lauderdale seafood importer, by posing as a grocery store buyer.

 

According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), food orders were placed by a person identifying himself as grocery store buyer Brian Gomez on June 21, June 30, July 14, July 27 and July 29.

After each order, NETUNO would direct Gomez to pick up the load from a warehouse in Medley, Florida.

Forty-five days after the first order placed by Gomez, NETUNO workers became suspicious and contacted the grocery store’s headquarters, only to learn that there was no Brian Gomez on staff and that the email address he used was fraudulent.

 

Police launched an investigation and began to surveil the warehouse in Medley.

Around 9:30 a.m. on August 4, officers spotted the truck and trailer used in the previous cargo thefts backing into the dock at the warehouse.

Officers followed the truck and a red Mustang following the truck to a warehouse in Weston. About 15 minutes after the truck arrived at the facility, police approached and arrested the three men without incident.

 

FHP said that Aguilera Baute and Hechevarria Echemend were responsible for the first five cargo theft incidents, allegedly stealing $1.3 million worth of product. Batista Suarez was involved in the sixth and final cargo theft incident, reportedly stealing about $300,000 worth of product. This product was still in the trailer when the men were arrested, according to reports.

Investigators say that the men used their cellphones to coordinate the cargo thefts.



Search
Sponsored
Categories
Read More
Trucking News
Hays CISD releases video from deadly bus crash
Hays Consolidated Independent School District released the video of the crash between a...
By American Truck Drivers 2024-06-29 00:07:32 0 13K
Trucking News
$100k bond set for driver after crash sparked by stopped van on Texas freeway
A truck driver has been jailed on $100,000 bond after a fatal crash involving a van stopped on a...
By Truck Drivers Life 2022-04-20 18:43:07 0 21K
Trucking News
Cops find 500 pounds of marijuana, fentanyl, mushrooms, during CMV safety inspection
A truck driver and passenger were recently arrested in New Mexico after an inspection led to the...
By Truck Drivers Life 2022-01-28 02:54:14 0 17K
Trucking News
Tractor Trailer Crashes Off Route 30 Bypass in Chester County, One Hospitalized
A tractor-trailer crash in Sadsbury Township, Pennsylvania, sent one person to the hospital...
By Truck Drivers Life 2025-06-20 14:16:23 0 3K
Trucking News
Two Tractor-Trailers Crash on Route 30 in Lancaster County, Fuel Spill Shuts Down Highway
An early morning crash involving two tractor-trailers caused a major fuel spill and shut...
By American Truck Drivers 2025-06-20 18:19:32 0 2K
News | Truck Drivers Life | Social Network for Truck Drivers https://www.truckdrivers.life