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FBI Probes $400,000 Costco-Bound Lobster Load That Vanished After Taunton Pickup

Investigators say a driver posing as a legitimate carrier used spoofed credentials to collect the load, reflecting a broader rise in organized cargo thefts.

Overview

  • The shipment of processed lobster meat was picked up Dec. 12 from Lineage Logistics in Taunton, Massachusetts, for delivery to Costco warehouses in Illinois and Minnesota but never arrived.
  • Rexing Companies says the load was taken by an impersonator using look‑alike emails, burner phones and a fake ID; GPS tracking was disabled within hours of pickup and the truck’s markings were changed, according to the company.
  • The FBI is investigating, and the firm says it is coordinating with industry groups to share information; no suspects or recoveries have been announced.
  • The case is at least the second seafood theft linked to the same Taunton facility this month after a Dec. 2 crab load disappeared, with regional reports also noting a separate oyster theft in Maine.
  • Federal and industry sources cite cargo theft losses in the $15–35 billion range annually, and experts say perishables are targeted because they can be quickly resold without serial tracking, pushing costs onto consumers.