Gang behind stealing cargo containers busted

An Uttar Pradesh-based gang that stole goods from cargo containers was busted here and one of its member arrested, police said Monday.

Salauddin, driver of one of the trucks that normally transported the cargo containers and also a member of the gang, was arrested from his native place in Gopalganj in Bihar on a tip-off Dec 26.

The gang would steal goods meant for export worth crores of rupees during transporatation between cities and replaced them with bricks and mud, said police.

On Sep 29, two members of the gang - Salauddin and Sunil Yadav - drove two trucks carrying containers full of steel utensils worth Rs.1.25 crore between Panipat in Haryana and Tughlakabad, Delhi. The utensils' final destination was Nairobi, Kenya, police said.

"They stopped the trucks in between and along with other gang members stole the contents and replaced them with sand and mud and affixed the seals back," said a police officer.

The containers were then delivered in Delhi and further made their way to Kenya in about two months' time.

By then, both Salauddin and Yadav had quit their jobs and changed their phone numbers.

The matter was reported to police Nov 17.

"Efforts are being made to arrest the remaining gang members," police said.