Cargo theft hit record highs in 2024.
Losses jumped 27 percent nationwide.
But Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier just dropped the hammer on six men who thought they could loot the state’s supply chain.
Criminal Ring Operated Across Six Florida Counties
The investigation started in May 2023 when Orlando police noticed a pattern.
Semi-trailers parked at rest stops and commercial lots were vanishing with their cargo.
Alayn Espinosa Lopez, Yerrison Perez, Yasser Mederos Garcia, Alexis Suarez Hernandez, Alejandro Valdes, and Arley Osmany Hernandez Relova ran a coordinated operation across Orange, Broward, Polk, Osceola, St. Lucie, and Volusia counties.
https://twitter.com/AGJamesUthmeier/status/2021978684731929016?s=20
They targeted high-value shipments — consumer electronics, HVAC equipment, copper wire, energy drinks, cooking oil, wine and spirits.
Between May 2023 and March 2025, they stole 51 commercial motor vehicles and 28 separate cargo shipments in 32 incidents.
Florida Highway Patrol Colonel Gary Howze explained the operation at Thursday’s press conference.
The thieves struck when truck drivers pulled off highways to rest.
They’d break into trailers, sometimes stealing just the cargo, sometimes taking the entire rig.
Then they’d rip out the GPS trackers so cops couldn’t follow the stolen rigs.
The cargo went straight to South Florida where their buddies turned around and sold it.
This Isn’t Just Florida’s Problem
The same scam is happening in every major trucking corridor in America.
Cargo theft jumped 27 percent in 2024 and the National Insurance Crime Bureau says it’s going up another 22 percent this year.
Florida ranks as one of the top three hotspots alongside California and Texas.
Cybercrime researchers at Proofpoint identified at least three distinct criminal groups using similar methods nationwide.
Crime rings from overseas are teaming up with hackers who break into freight broker computers, steal passwords, and help set up the actual thefts.
https://twitter.com/AGJamesUthmeier/status/2022325111982883177?s=20
One Florida case earlier in 2025 involved thieves stealing electronic control modules from Freightliner trucks at storage lots.
Those ECMs sell for $3,000 to $10,000 each on the black market, and that operation caused $776,000 in losses.
A separate multi-state ring busted in Indiana in January 2026 stole $5.2 million in electronics and fashion merchandise.
The ringleader got 13.5 years in federal prison — his third cargo theft conviction.
Multi-Agency Coordination Breaks Jurisdictional Barriers
Uthmeier credited the Florida Highway Patrol’s Cargo Theft Task Force for coordinating with multiple agencies.
Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith reached out to FHP’s specialized cargo theft unit after the first arrests instead of trying to handle it alone.
The investigation eventually pulled in Orange County Sheriff, Ocoee Police, St. Cloud Police, Polk County Sheriff, St. Lucie County Sheriff, Miami-Dade Sheriff, and Daytona Beach Police.
That jurisdictional coordination matters because cargo thieves deliberately operate across county and state lines.
Local police departments can’t easily pursue cases that cross multiple jurisdictions.
Federal prosecutions require meeting specific dollar thresholds and proving interstate commerce violations.
State-level prosecution through Florida’s Office of Statewide Prosecution closes that gap.
https://twitter.com/AGJamesUthmeier/status/2021964737005904034?s=20
All six defendants are currently in custody facing grand theft and conspiracy charges.
Uthmeier made clear the investigation continues and the ring could grow larger.
The organized nature of cargo theft demands organized law enforcement response.
Industry data shows thieves are getting more sophisticated with double-brokering schemes and fake pickup orders.
Criminal groups use legitimate online load boards to identify high-value shipments, then intercept them with fraudulent documentation.
Orlando Police Chief Smith noted the broader impact.
Cargo theft disrupts supply chains, raises costs for consumers, and threatens Florida’s economy.
Truck driver Jared Fowler has been hauling freight for 20 years and makes weekly stops in Central Florida.
He saw the announcement and felt relief.
“Maybe it will deter the rest of them,” Fowler said.
“I’m glad they’re behind bars now and increased safety for all us other truckers out here.”
Florida maintains a record-low crime rate while prosecution rates hit record highs.
Uthmeier didn’t mince words at the press conference: “You are an idiot if you want to commit crimes in the state of Florida. We are watching. We’re going to get you.”
The message resonates because cargo theft directly affects everyday Floridians.
You end up paying for every single one of those stolen energy drinks and air conditioners.
https://twitter.com/FLVoiceNews/status/2021968166511878203?s=20
Businesses don’t eat the losses — they pass them straight to you at checkout.
Your insurance premiums go up because trucking companies are getting hammered.
The whole supply chain gets more expensive when thieves are stealing $7.8 million worth of cargo in one state alone.
The 300-year combined maximum sentence sends a signal to other criminal organizations eyeing Florida’s distribution corridors.
Cargo theft is going up 22 percent this year across the country.
Florida’s not waiting around hoping the feds step in — they’re hunting these crews down right now before they get any bigger.
Sources:
- Michelle Vecerina, “Orlando police and state authorities dismantle $7.8 million organized cargo theft ring,” News Source, February 12, 2026.
- Justin Schecker and Allison Petro, “6 arrested in statewide grand theft ring targeting Florida supply chain trucks,” NBC Affiliate, February 12, 2026.
- Drew Dixon, “James Uthmeier: 6 suspects charged in major Florida cargo theft ring,” Florida Politics, February 12, 2026.
- “Cyber Cargo Theft Surge – 7 Insights on the Growing Threat (2025),” Tank Transport, November 19, 2025.
- “Cargo Theft,” National Insurance Crime Bureau, 2025.
- “Organized crime, cyberattacks push cargo theft levels higher,” Trucking Dive, November 18, 2025.
