KENNEWICK, Wash. — Investigators with the Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team (INET) made a major catalytic converter bust across west central Washington this week.
An INET investigation into stolen catalytic converters led investigators to two Kennewick businesses where 533 catalytic converters were seized on Wednesday, according to a press release from the Grant County Sheriff's Office.
Detectives served a search warrant at PDX Scrap Metal in Kennewick after an investigation into the trafficking of stolen property and money laundering. Detectives recovered 533 catalytic converters, raw materials from the cores of the catalytic converters and equipment used to extract the precious materials from inside catalytic converters.
The investigation was connected to other search warrants on the trafficking of catalytic converters on Wednesday at the Dos Tesoros Smoke Shop and at a Moses Lake home. Investigators said the occupant of the Moses Lake home has been operating an illegal business, buying stolen catalytic converters without following scrap metal purchasing laws.
With the assistance of other local agencies, detectives interviewed the suspects in the catalytic converter bust in Kennewick, including the owner of C.E.M. Catalytic Converter LLC and the owner of PDX Scrap Metal LLC.
Neither of the suspects were arrested. Detectives continue investigating and charges will be forwarded to the Benton County Prosecutor’s Office at a later date.
During the investigation, INET detectives from the Grant County Sheriff's Office, along with members of the Tri-Cities Metro Drug Task Force, Benton County, Washington Sheriff's Office, Kennewick Police Department, Washington State Patrol, and Pasco Police helped with the investigation.
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