by Lloyd's List

28 January 2025 (Lloyd's List) - US AUTHORITIES have charged eight people with conspiracy to smuggle hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of goods through the Californian ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

Federal law enforcement made eight arrests between Friday, January 24 and Saturday, January 25, while one more individual is still at large.

The US Attorney General’s Office of the Central District of California said the defendants hired commercial truck drivers to move containers that had been selected for inspection by US customs and border officials to warehouses owned by other defendants.

There, authorities allege the defendants removed the counterfeit cargo, stuffed the containers with filler cargo and affixed counterfeit security seals to hide that the containers had been opened. The containers were then transported to US Customs and Border Protection locations for inspection.

During the investigation into the group, authorities seized $130m in contraband, including shoes, perfume, luxury handbags and watches. The group is believed to have successfully smuggled more than $200m worth of goods into the US.

The initial discovery was made by CBP agriculture specialists assigned to Los Angeles/Long Beach in 2023, during a routine container inspection.

Acting US attorney Joseph McNally maintained the importance of secure ports to US national security.

“The smuggling of huge amounts of contraband from China through our nation’s largest port hurts American businesses and consumers,” he said.

“The charges and arrests here demonstrate our commitment to enforce our customs laws and keep the American public safe.”