Truck Driver Accused of Using Fake Documents to Steal $2.9M Cargo

Police in Indiana arrested a California truck driver after recovering nearly $2.9 million in stolen tungsten oxide powder originally taken from a Pennsylvania site. The driver allegedly used fraudulent documents to obtain the 40,000-pound shipment, which was destined for Mitsubishi Materials Corporation in Japan. This case highlights the persistent vulnerability of the freight sector to sophisticated document fraud and the importance of inter-state law enforcement cooperation in cargo recovery.

Deepak Kumar, a 31-year-old resident of Fresno, California, was apprehended by Greenfield Police on June 28 while traveling eastbound on Interstate 70. Officers received an alert regarding a wanted semi tractor-trailer linked to a cargo theft that occurred in Pennsylvania on June 25. Upon stopping the vehicle at mile marker 104, authorities confirmed the truck was transporting nearly 40,000 pounds of tungsten oxide powder, a shipment valued at approximately $2,857,500.

The investigation revealed that Kumar allegedly used fraudulent documentation to secure the high-value load, which was intended for delivery to Mitsubishi Materials Corporation in Japan. Following the traffic stop, the truck and trailer were impounded as evidence. Once a search warrant was granted by a judge, officers verified the contents of the trailer and subsequently released the recovered cargo to a representative from Mitsubishi Materials Corporation who traveled to Indiana to take possession.

Kumar was arrested on an active warrant from Pennsylvania charging him with criminal use of a communication facility and theft by unlawful taking of movable property. He is currently being held at the Hancock County Jail, while the Hancock County Prosecutor’s Office determines if additional charges will be filed in Indiana. Although the specific Pennsylvania business involved has not been named and no other suspects have been identified, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the financial risks associated with fraudulent document use in the trucking industry.