8 arrested on suspicion of smuggling recyclables from Arizona to California
Eight family members were charged in Riverside County in connection with an eight-month recycling fraud scheme that involved smuggling recyclables from Arizona to California and defrauding the state's beverage container program of $7.6 million.
According to the California Department of Justice Attorney General's Office, this was done by smuggling over 100 tons of out-of-state materials from Arizona to California for redemption.
On Tuesday, the Department of Justice's Bureau of Investigation Recycle Fraud Team filed multiple charges, against the family members, including recycling fraud, grand theft and conspiracy, according to the AG's office.
The RFT's agents also served search warrants on six locations, which resulted in the seizure of $1,061,499 and the illegally imported beverage containers. All of the family members were then booked at the Riverside County Sherrif's Department Jail, a news release said.
Their identities were not released.
In October 2022, the California Department of Justice investigated a group of recycling centers in Riverside County and found that over eight months, the family members smuggled 178 tons of aluminum cans and plastic bottles from Arizona and delivered them to undocumented lots in Riverside County.
The family members then illegally redeemed $7.6 million in California Redemption Value, according to the news release.
"California's recycling program is funded by consumers, and helps protect our environment and our communities," Bonta said in a statement. "Those who try to undermine its integrity through criminal operations will be held accountable. I am grateful to my team of diligent investigators, and to our partners at CalRecycle, for uncovering this fraud scheme and for working together to protect funds that belong to California consumers who recycle."
Recycling: Your old cellphone and printer are e-waste. Here's why you should recycle them responsibly
What can you legally recycle if you live in another state?
According to the State of California Department of Justice, there is a limit to how many beverage container materials you can take into California through state lines.
"California's Public Resources Code §14595 outlines requirements for any person importing more than 25 pounds of aluminum, bimetal, or plastic empty beverage container material, or more than 250 pounds of glass empty beverage container material, in a motor vehicle, into California," the Attorney General Press Office of the California Department of Justice said.
The California Beverage Container Program is administered by CalRecycle and the program's CRV fee incentivizes recycling at privately-owned centers with a 5 or 10 cent return on eligible beverage containers. Only material from California is eligible for redemption in this program, according to the news release.
SUBSCRIBE TODAY: Act now, to get the best in local journalism. Subscribe at https://subscribe.azcentral.com/offers.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 8 arrested on suspicion of smuggling recyclables from Arizona
