News Releases

Multi-Agency Investigation Targets Organized Retail Theft Ring

For Immediate Release: Thursday, November 14, 2024

Gaithersburg, MD – The Montgomery County Department of Police, in collaboration with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), successfully led a multi-agency investigation targeting a theft and fencing operation based in Prince George’s County, MD. The investigation targeted three individuals responsible for trafficking a large amount of stolen goods from retailers in Montgomery County and throughout the Washington, DC metro area.

The investigation began in July 2023, when Montgomery County Department of Police – 2nd District detectives identified an organized fencing operation receiving stolen merchandise from known repeat offenders, who often targeted CVS, Target, and other major retailers. With the assistance of HSI, IRS-CI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, detectives linked the suspects to three storage facilities and two apartment units containing the stolen merchandise. The fencing operation had generated over $1 million in untaxed revenue, with the stolen goods being shipped to South America.

Following the arrests and seizure of the stolen goods, MCPD detectives, HSI and IRS-CI agents processed the inventory of stolen items and determined that the estimated retail value is $270,000. The recovered items included health and beauty products, tools, and other household items, which cannot be returned to retailers and will be destroyed in compliance with federal protocols.

For more information on this case, view the official DOJ news release: Three Maryland Individuals Charged in Leading Roles in International Organized Theft Ring.

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Release ID: 24-532
Media Contact: S.D. Goff 
Categories: press-releases