Authorities said three men in Florida were arrested last week for allegedly stealing $10 million worth of meat across the Midwest for the past year.
According to a press release, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) and the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office in Nebraska announced the arrests of Yoslany Leyva Del Sol, Ledier Machin Andino, and Delvis L. Fuentes following a monthslong investigation.
The sheriff's office began its investigation into the thefts on June 27 after several semi-trailers and loads of frozen beef worth an estimated $1 million were stolen in Nebraska, officials said.
According to the press release, further investigation found that since last June, approximately 45 additional thefts occurred across Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin, resulting in $9 million lost in stolen products.
According to law enforcement officials, the investigation led them to believe these crimes were being committed by a "Miami-based, highly sophisticated organized criminal enterprise" that was targeting beef and pork packaging plants in Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.
On Oct. 20, the investigators identified and arrested the three prime suspects - Leyva Del Sol, Andino, and Fuentes, according to the statement.
They also recovered three tractor-trailers with stolen merchandise valued at $550,000, HSI said.
