A mom and two sons have admitted to being a part of a hoop that shipped $600m (£492m) value of stolen catalytic converters from California to New Jersey, federal prosecutors have stated.

Brothers Tou Sue Vang, 32, and Andrew Vang, 28, together with their mom, Monica Moua, 58, had been a part of “a national network of thieves, dealers, and processors” who offered the gadgets to a metallic refinery, in keeping with an announcement from the US legal professional’s workplace.

The three members of the family from Sacramento, California, pleaded responsible on Monday to conspiring to move the stolen catalytic converters in return for greater than $38m (£31m).

Tou Sue Vang additionally pleaded responsible to 39 prices associated to cash laundering, prosecutors stated.

A complete of 21 folks from California and New Jersey have been charged within the case, prosecutors stated.

Catalytic converters flip pollution emitted from a automotive’s exhaust into much less dangerous gases.

They will be simply stolen from beneath a automobile and include treasured metals together with platinum.

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“Some of these precious metals are more valuable per ounce than gold, and their value has been increasing in recent years,” the US legal professional’s workplace stated.

“The black market price for catalytic converters can be above $1,000 (£820) each.”

California accounts for 37% of catalytic converter theft claims throughout the US, with about 1,600 reported stolen every month, federal prosecutors stated.