The California Highway Patrol (CHP) assisted with a cargo and vehicle theft operation that led to dozens of arrests.

On June 20, 2024, multiple law enforcement agencies executed a multi-location search warrant operation within three counties in California and one location in Arizona as part of a months-long cargo and vehicle theft investigation.

Following the raid, 51 people were arrested and booked into the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s West Valley Detention Center on felony charges related to railroad burglaries, conspiracy, vin-switched stolen vehicles, operation of a methamphetamine lab, methamphetamine sales, child endangerment, and possession of assault weapons.

Also as part of the operation, police seized 20 stolen vehicles, 20 firearms, 48 gallons of liquid methamphetamine, and 425 pounds of crystal methamphetamine.

“Additionally, they located one clandestine methamphetamine lab and recovered $325,000 in U.S. currency and over $8 million in stolen cargo,” CHP said in a news release.

Participating agencies include San Bernardino County Auto Theft Task Force (SANCATT), California Highway Patrol-Inland Division, San Bernardino Police Department, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (SBSD), National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), Riverside Auto Theft Interdiction Detail (RAID), Orange County Auto Theft Task Force (OCATT), Task Force for Regional Auto Theft (TRAP), Riverside Sheriff’s Department, Rialto Police Department, California Department of Insurance, San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Roadway (BNSF), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

The investigation is active and ongoing.