Authorities were informed of 40,000 pounds of apparently stolen tungsten oxide powder headed to the interstate. (RHJ/Getty Images)
key takeaways:
- Police arrested truck driver Deepak Kumar in Indiana on June 27 for stealing a $2.85 million tungsten powder shipment from Pennsylvania.
- Authorities said Kumar used fake documents to obtain a 40,000-pound load that was bound for Mitsubishi Materials Corp. in Japan for advanced industrial use.
- The Indiana charges were dismissed July 1 as Kumar awaits extradition to Pennsylvania, where state police say a criminal investigation is active.
An immigrant truck driver is sitting in jail awaiting extradition to Pennsylvania for stealing nearly $3 million worth of tungsten powder destined for Japan.
Deepak Kumar, 31, is the subject of an ongoing investigation by Pennsylvania State Police after he was arrested in Indiana while driving on Interstate 70 on June 27. Originally from India, the driver lives in Fresno, California, and has a state-issued commercial driver’s license there.
As of July 8, he was being held in a prison with 446 inmates. Hancock County Jail In the eastern Indianapolis suburbs.
The cargo theft case came to light after an alert to Greenfield, Ind., police. Authorities were informed of 40,000 pounds of apparently stolen tungsten oxide powder headed to the interstate.
B Squad officers worked night and day shifts monitoring a $2.85 million shipment of tungsten, which was to be delivered to Mitsubishi Materials Corp. in Japan. The company was importing American powder metal to use in its next generation batteries, electronic components and defense industry materials.
A warrant for Kumar’s arrest was issued in Pennsylvania on charges of unlawful taking of movable property and criminal use of a communication facility.
According to Greenfield Police Deputy Chief, Kumar allegedly used fake documents to get the shipment Charles “Chuck” McMichael.
Pennsylvania State Police spokesman, Trooper William J. According to Evans III, the tungsten powder was picked up at Global Tungsten & Powder in North Towanda Township along the Susquehanna River.
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Neither Global Tungsten & Powder nor Mitsubishi Materials USA Corp. responded by press time to Transport Topics’ inquiries about the cargo theft.
clear tungsten powder steal happened on 25th June. Two days later, Greenfield police officers “spotted the wanted truck and trailer near the Greenfield exit, confirmed the information and conducted a traffic stop,” McMichael said. “With the use of modern technology and diligent police work, Kumar is in jail and will face prosecution for his alleged crimes.”
The truck and trailer were seized by Inman Towing of Greenfield and held as evidence. Police obtained a search warrant for the equipment and found that “stolen merchandise was present in the trailer,” McMichael said. A representative from Mitsubishi arrived in Indiana and “took possession of the stolen merchandise,” he said.
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McMichael said the stolen tungsten powder was found “in large cardboard boxes on pallets.” Kumar had a California CDL at the time of the traffic stop.
Kumar was arrested on four criminal charges:
- precious metal theft
- theft (other theft)
- Criminal conversion (unauthorized control over another person’s property)
- Forgery for possessing/producing/distributing false government identification using a non-government document
Hancock County Prosecutor Brent Eaton The Indiana charges were dismissed on July 1 because Kumar was awaiting extradition to Pennsylvania, where the theft allegedly occurred.
Although police are releasing few additional details, Evans confirmed to TT that the Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Investigation Unit is working on the case and “this investigation remains active.”
