Four suspects in custody after years of east coast meat & seafood cargo thefts

Four men are in custody after allegedly running a meat cargo theft ring on the east coast for the last several years. 

The four men were arrested on Friday, September 13th at the Molly Pitcher Service area on the southbound New Jersey Turnpike in Cranbury, New Jersey just after 1:30 a.m. as part of “Operation Beef Bandit” organized by the New Jersey State Police.

According to NJ News, troopers and State Police investigators were at the rest area observing tractor trailers when they saw four men attempt to break into a parked semi truck with the driver resting inside in order to steal its load of meat. 

One of the men, 31-year-old Hanif Tucker, was arrested immediately, while 23-year-old Shaun Coleman was arrested after a brief chase on foot. The two other men, 26-year-old Rashan Clark-Reddy and 37-year-old Salahudin Reddy, were arrested a short time later after fleeing police in a stolen vehicle, ramming into an unmarked squad car, and leading officers on a brief pursuit. 

All four men have been charged with receiving stolen property, possession of burglary tools, criminal mischief and conspiracy to commit cargo theft. The men are believed to be behind a recent string of nine semi truck cargo thefts along the New Jersey Turnpike over the last three years involving loads of meat, seafood, and alcohol, reported Patch.

The men are being held at the Middlesex County jail. No further information has been released. The officers were