A federal complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington details the seizure of over 74,000 items suspected to be stolen merchandise recovered from a closed storefront in Burien, as well as a nearby warehouse and a residence in Federal Way.
According to the complaint, investigators conducted undercover operations at the Burien storefront located at 13622 1st Ave South, purchasing items identified as potentially stolen.
Additionally, authorities linked similar products sold online to two King County residents.
“This case highlights the concerning trend of retail theft impacting our communities,” Steven Schrank, Deputy Special-Agent-in-Charge with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) told Fox13.
Search warrants were executed in December 2023 at all three locations mentioned in the complaint. The seized items, believed to be stolen from various retailers including Target, Walmart, and CVS, totaled more than 74,000. Schrank elaborated that the recovered merchandise included healthcare products, beauty supplies, and tools.
“These are not items we would want our families unknowingly purchasing online,” Schrank added. “This is especially concerning when dealing with medications and health and beauty products.”
Documents indicate that one online account linked to the investigation generated over $2.4 million in sales between January 2022 and June 2023, with over 74,000 transactions.
