State police: 11 charged in cargo theft ring

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - New Jersey state police say they've dismantled a cargo theft trafficking ring and recovered more than $1 million worth of merchandise.

The 11 arrests announced Wednesday culminate a five-month investigation that started when detectives began probing the theft of a tractor-trailer that contained $104,000 worth of meat. That ultimately led them to the organized theft ring.

Authorities say ring members transported stolen tractor-trailers from throughout the state to specific locations at a business facility in Passaic. That site was the main location where members loaded and offloaded stolen cargo and also stored the stolen tractor-trailers.

Detectives also identified secondary locations in Little Ferry and Secaucus which served a similar function.

Sixteen loads of stolen cargo were eventually recovered, including clothing, granite, home goods, landscaping equipment and food products. The items were destined to be sold domestically and overseas.