Major Car Theft Ring Linked to Sinaloa Cartel Uncovered in Denver
Authorities have uncovered a major car theft ring connected to the Sinaloa Cartel, with seventeen individuals indicted for stealing at least 190 vehicles in and around Denver International Airport. The stolen vehicles, predominantly high-end pickup trucks, were then taken to Mexico to be exchanged for drugs that were later distributed in the metro area. The thefts, which occurred between September 2022 and February, resulted in victims losing an estimated $9.5 million.
The Denver District Attorney’s Office announced the indictment of the suspects on 222 charges related to organized crime, auto theft, drug possession and distribution, and identity theft following a thorough investigation conducted by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Denver DA Beth McCann emphasized that those involved in car theft in Denver will be apprehended and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Eleven of the seventeen suspects are currently in police custody, while the remaining six are believed to be located in Colorado, Texas, and Mexico. The complexity and coordination of the operation have been likened to a Hollywood movie by David Olesky, assistant special agent in charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Rocky Mountain division.
According to Denver prosecutor Alison Foley, a significant number of the stolen vehicles were taken from DIA and its surrounding areas, including hotels offering free parking to guests before their trips. The suspects involved in the ring range from individuals with direct ties to the cartel to those responsible for orchestrating the drug exchanges and distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine in Denver.
The surge in auto theft rates has had wider implications, leading to increased insurance rates in Colorado, which became the top state for per capita auto thefts following the pandemic. Kent Prose, supervisory special agent of the National Insurance Crime Bureau, highlighted the significant cost borne by every insured individual in Colorado due to these crimes.
As authorities continue to crack down on criminal activities like this car theft ring, it serves as a reminder of the ongoing efforts to maintain public safety and uphold the law. The collaboration between law enforcement agencies at various levels has been crucial in dismantling such elaborate criminal enterprises.
