In a significant blow to organized retail theft, law enforcement agencies including the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the California Department of Justice, and federal partners have announced the dismantling of a statewide theft ring operating across 21 counties.
The operation, which targeted the illicit trafficking of beauty products, resulted in the arrest and filing of charges against the alleged ringleader, the CHP said.
The collaborative efforts of the involved agencies have led to the disruption of a sophisticated criminal network responsible for pilfering over $8 million worth of beauty products, according to the Highway Patrol.
The CHP, in particular, has played a crucial role in combating organized retail theft since the inception of the Organized Retail Crime Task Force in 2019.
Over the years, the CHP has been involved in more than 2,300 investigations related to organized retail theft, resulting in the arrest of over 2,200 suspects, the CHP said.