New Suspect in $100K Chicken Heist May Be Linked to $400K Meat Theft

Authorities have arrested a second suspect connected to the theft of a tractor-trailer containing $100,000 worth of poultry products.

Jorge Lyen Blanco-Diaz, a 38-year-old from Hialeah, Florida, faces multiple charges, including grand theft of cargo and a vehicle, along with unlawful use of a communications device.

This arrest follows that of Raul Bello, who was apprehended earlier this month on similar charges related to the September 15 heist.

The stolen tractor-trailer, valued at $140,000, was reported missing near the driver’s Miami home. Inside the trailer were frozen poultry products worth $100,000. Surveillance footage revealed the truck was followed by a white Nissan van, later traced back to Bello, leading to his arrest.

Interestingly, Blanco-Diaz, already on house arrest with a GPS ankle monitor for other theft cases, was found to be present at the theft site. His ankle monitor data placed him at the location before and during the time of the truck’s disappearance.

Blanco-Diaz is also a suspect in a larger $400,000 meat theft case from September 2023, involving another truck and semi-trailer loaded with assorted meat products. The investigation continues, and both suspects have been booked into jail.

Blanco-Diaz and Bello’s alleged involvement in these thefts highlights the severity of cargo theft, a growing problem for the food supply chain. The authorities are working to unravel the full extent of this organized theft ring.

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