Eight people have been arrested in connection with a large smuggling operation that used the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to bring illegal and counterfeit goods from China into the U.S. The scheme, involving corrupt truck drivers, warehouse owners, and logistics firms, is estimated to have smuggled at least $200 million worth of goods. The defendants face charges of conspiracy, smuggling, and customs violations.
The operation manipulated security seals on shipping containers to bypass inspections. Corrupt truck drivers would transport the containers to offsite warehouses, where contraband was removed and replaced with counterfeit seals.
The main orchestrator is believed to be in China.
Federal authorities have seized over $130 million in contraband, with a total of $1.3 billion in smuggled goods linked to similar operations under investigation. The arrested defendants could face lengthy prison sentences, and more developments are expected as the trial date approaches.
