9 allegedly tied to Sinaloa Cartel arrested on suspicion of train cargo theft

Nine suspects allegedly tied to the Sinaloa Cartel were arrested by San Bernardino authorities after a years-long investigation into train cargo burglaries, authorities said Wednesday, Oct. 28.

The investigation by San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department has focused on an organized criminal network purportedly tied to the Sinaloa Cartel that is allegedly responsible for burglaries targeting the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway trains, resulting in millions of dollars worth of stolen property, the department said in a news release.

On Friday, Oct 16, authorities served a search warrant at a home in the 1200 block of East 35th Street in San Bernardino where nine suspects were arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation. Authorities recovered more than $333,000 worth of alleged stolen retail merchandise during the search, including JBL speakers, Logitech computer hardware, Victoria Secret products, Nike shoes and New Balance shoes, the department said.

Authorities also seized four semiautomatic handguns, a drone used for surveillance, an undisclosed amount of cash, tools used to purportedly access train cargo containers, fentanyl authorities suspected to be possessed for sale, and four vehicles connected to recent train cargo burglaries.

During the operation, the nine suspects were booked on suspicion of crimes including conspiracy, theft of railroad property, and possession of a controlled substance while armed. They range in ages from 18 to 43-years-old and are all Mexican nationals.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is continuing its investigation into cargo theft burglaries and is asking anyone with information about these crimes to contact the department.