JERSEY CITY — Hudson County Acting Prosecutor Gaetano Gregory announced Friday that a highly sophisticated, multi-jurisdictional, cargo theft operation was dismantled this week when alleged members of the organization were arrested by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Special Investigations Unit, Homeland Security Investigations, Norfolk Southern Railroad Police, and CSX Railroad Police.
The alleged leader of the group, Edward Mongon, 40, of Jersey City, is well known for his involvement in raiding cargo trains while leading the “Conrail Boyz” Gang more than a decade ago. Mongon was the subject of a television documentary later done depicting the activities of the enterprise.
The group is allegedly responsible for the theft of large amounts of merchandise taken from shipping containers on freight trains. The group, according to Gaetano, was well-studied in various train schedules and practices and utilized specific access points to CSX and Norfolk Southern rail lines throughout northern New Jersey. The group would allegedly profile certain shipping containers and cut the locks and cable seals off with various tools including bolt cutters. Once inside the containers, they would allegedly asses the type of cargo inside and either move on to another container seeking more valuable merchandise or begin unloading boxes for pick up, Gaetano said.
The containers of stationary train cars were often opened and parts of the shipment removed in a matter of minutes before the train would begin moving again. On other occasions, the group would allegedly unload goods as the train was moving, sometimes riding moving trains for miles.
The group allegedly stole merchandise including high end clothing, designer shoes, sneakers, watches, cologne, liquor, and electronics. They would allegedly load cargo vans with the stolen merchandise in dark, remote areas along the rail lines and then transport the goods to various storage garages and “fences” in Jersey City and North Bergen, Gaetano said.
Investigators tracked the group for nearly four months, following the stolen goods and monitoring deliveries to the fences. The fences would then distribute the goods to various customers, which included a variety store known as JRichard located in Paterson.
Investigators executed a number coordinated search and arrest warrants early this morning at locations in Hudson, Passaic, Morris, and Bergen Counties. During the searches, investigators seized large amounts of stolen property, which required a shipping container to transport, as well as sums of US currency.
Charged with being leaders of a cargo theft network, burglary, cargo theft, theft, and fencing were Mongon, John V. Forcum, 37, of Parsippany, and Elie Kammo, 30, of Union City. Charged with cargo theft, theft, and burglary (second degree) were Dion Groomes, 40, of Hoboken, and Denis Ford, 40, of Jersey City. Charged with theft, fencing, and receiving stolen property (second degree) were Marciano Vasquez, 63, of Jersey City, Amparo Diaz-Cruz, 45, of Jersey City, Andres Gonzalez, 56, of Cliffside Park, Ramy Darwiche, 25, of Jersey City, and Richard Gutierrez, 60, of Fairview.
The charged individuals have not yet entered a plea.
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