MIAMI — Over a dozen people were arrested after authorities said they were connected with an organized retail theft scheme that spanned throughout South Florida.
On Monday, law enforcement officials announced that 14 people have been identified from the multi-county investigation that was conducted over nine months. All suspected were linked to $20 million in losses to the retail industry in 2023, according to CBS Miami.
The 14 accused people are facing charges of racketeering, organized retail theft, grand theft, dealing in stolen property and other conspiracy charges.
Three suspects are still outstanding but authorities say they are looking to take them into custody, CBS Miami reports.
Multiple South Florida law enforcement agencies were applauded by Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava for the arrests made in the retail theft scheme.
"This just shows what happens when we work together," she said. "I'm really proud of this collaboration. It uncovered a criminal organization that has caused billions – not millions – billions of dollars in losses to our retail industry and to all of us, the consumers."
According to WSVN-TV, the accused people would enter stores such as Publix, Walmart, Target and Walgreens and take as much merchandise as possible. The criminal operation consisted of almost 90 people who continuously stole from big-box retailers over the nine months.
“These individuals would sometimes obtain master keys and empty whole shelves of over-the-counter prescription medications or simply walk out with high-value items like a $3,000 golf bag,” George Aguire, an official from the Miami Dade Organized Crime Bureau, told WSVN-TV.
The stolen items would reportedly then be taken to another person who would catalog them before they were sold to an online retailer for sale to consumers.
Joshua Markell, who was arrested in the operation, owned a storefront for Amazon named Holywood Seller, which would sell the stolen products to unsuspecting consumers in the country, according to CBS Miami.
"Organized retail theft is a growing cancer throughout our nation," Miami-Dade police Maj. Jorge Aguiar of the department's Organized Crime Bureau told CBS Miami.
Authorities seized more than $1.2 million in stolen merchandise that Markell wanted to sell, which was over 4,800 items, WSVN-TV reports.
Law enforcement says they are still in the process of arresting more people before putting an end to the crime ring investigation.
