Eight charged in theft of 23,000 Apple iPhones at Miami airport

MIAMI – Eight people have been charged in the theft of 23,000 Apple iPhones using a disguised tractor-trailer to steal the cargo at Miami International Airport.

The FBI said in a news release Tuesday that the suspects were arrested in the Miami area. They face conspiracy to possess stolen goods and other federal charges. The stolen phones are valued at $6.7 million.

According to a grand jury indictment, the group used false identification and a tractor-trailer altered to appear like it belonged to a legitimate company to steal the iPhones in April.

The phones were hidden in a rental storage unit and many were sold to unidentified buyers, often dozens at a time. It’s unclear if any stolen phones have been recovered.

The suspects began appearing Monday in Miami federal court.