SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento Police Department participated in a Nationwide Catalytic Converter Theft Operation in partnership with federal, state and local law enforcement partners Wednesday.
Law enforcement partners from across the country executed a nationwide takedown of people for their alleged roles in “conspiracies involving stolen catalytic converters sold to a metal refinery for tens of millions of dollars,” according to officials.
The takedown took place in California, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina and Virginia. 21 people across five states have been arrested and/or charged for their roles in the conspiracy.
According to court documents, three were Sacramento residents. Tou Sue Vang, 31, and brother Andrew Vang, 27, and Monica Moua, 51, allegedly operated an unlicensed business from their personal residence where they bought stolen catalytic converters from local thieves and shipped them to DG Auto Parts LLC in New Jersey for processing.
The press release says the Vang family allegedly sold over $38 million in stolen catalytic converters to DG Auto.
According to a news release, over 32 search warrants were executed, and law enforcement seized millions of dollars in assets, including homes, bank accounts, cash and luxury vehicles.
Catalytic converters are part of the car's exhaust that helps reduce toxic gas and pollutants from a cars engine.
They use precious metals in their center and are regularly targeted for theft due to the high value of these metals, especially the precious metals palladium, platinum and rhodium.
Watch more from ABC10:
