Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, HSI-Omaha, and law enforcement partner investigation into multimillion-dollar theft ring leads to several arrests

The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, and Federal Homeland Security have arrested three men from Miami, Florida believed responsible for the theft of several dozen semi-loads of beef from midwestern packing plants.

The investigation started in June, when several loaded semi’s disappeared from a packing plant in Grand Island and from York. They totaled just over one million dollars worth of beef.

By the time the investigation was fully developed, authorities determined that 45 thefts had taken place with losses estimated at $9 Million dollars. Investigators determined that truckloads were stolen from beef and pork packing plants in Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.

The three men arrested will be charged with federal crimes ranging from theft to money laundering.