Nine Charged in Massive Smuggling Scheme at Ports of Los Angeles and Long beach

Federal authorities have uncovered a sophisticated smuggling operation at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, leading to the arrest of eight defendants in connection with a scheme to import counterfeit goods from China.

The operation, which ran from August 2023 to June 2024, involved logistics company executives, warehouse owners, and truck drivers who allegedly circumvented customs inspections by breaking container seals and replacing contraband with filler cargo.

Investigators seized more than $130 million in contraband during the investigation, with the organization believed to be responsible fo…