Illegal immigrants charged in Nike shoe heist as cartels rob US cargo trains

Two radical are down bars aft the latest arrests of suspected thieves from Mexico allegedly nabbing millions of dollars of Nike sneakers successful elaborate railroad heists successful the Mojave Desert. 

On March 27, the Hualapai Nation Police Department successful Arizona pulled implicit the operator of a maroon Chevy Tahoe "suspected to beryllium progressive successful bid robberies successful the area," according to a connection from the agency. 

As officers conducted the postulation stop, 8 radical jumped retired of the car and fled. Police said they located stolen Nike shoes nearby, and the operator of the vehicle, a antheral from Mexico, was arrested.

SINALOA CARTEL'S CARGO TRAIN NIKE SHOE HEIST LATEST IN LONG-STANDING TREND: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Nike sneakers connected show astatine the recently renovated JD Sports store astatine Westfield Stratford City successful London July 30, 2024.  (Reuters/Mina Kim)

During the investigation, constabulary pulled implicit a pistillate driving a achromatic Toyota 4Runner for failing to output to an exigency vehicle. 

Upon approaching that vehicle, officers "observed grounds of transgression activity" besides linked to the bid robberies, according to police. 

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The pistillate was ordered retired of the conveyance by officers, and, contempt initially complying, she reentered the conveyance and sped away, constabulary said. As she attempted to evade authorities, she allegedly struck a patrol officer, who was not injured.

The pistillate dodged constabulary for astir 80 miles earlier losing power of her conveyance successful a operation portion and smashing into a guardrail adjacent the Arizona-California border, constabulary said. She was ejected from the conveyance and transported to a infirmary with insignificant injuries. 

The pistillate fishy evaded constabulary for astir 80 miles earlier her car smashed into a guardrail adjacent the Arizona-California borderline March 27.  (Hualapai Nation Police Department)

Both suspects were successful the U.S. illegally and person been booked into the Mohave County Adult Detention Center. 

The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Homeland Security did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital’s petition for comment. 

The heist comes arsenic authorities person seen a emergence successful railroad heists targeting Nike shoes betwixt California and Arizona implicit the past 2 years. 

Members of the Sinaloa Cartel raided a BSNF bid Jan. 17, according to Homeland Security Investigations. (AFP Photo/Robyn Beck)

In February, a expansive assemblage returned an indictment against 11 defendants, including 9 amerciable immigrants, from a theft of Nike merchandise being shipped done bluish Arizona, according to the Department of Justice. 

Authorities said the Sinaloa Cartel stole hundreds of thousands of dollars successful Nike shoes from a moving BNSF bid successful Arizona successful January.

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People sojourn a Nike store connected 5th Avenue during the vacation play successful New York City Dec. 9, 2022.  (Reuters/Eduardo Munoz)

"Criminal organizations that specialize successful stealing from trains, which dwell chiefly of Mexican citizens with connections to the Mexican State of Sinaloa, person utilized the method of cutting aerial hoses to power wherever trains with invaluable cargo travel to a stop," the DOJ said successful a statement. "This enactment is precise unsafe and tin origin the trains, which question up to 70 miles per hour, to derail." 

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Thieves volition often permission boxes of stolen goods on railroad tracks for a 2nd unit to prime up and transport to California, wherever the products volition beryllium sold online, according to national prosecutors. 

Nike did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital’s petition for comment.