4 men charged in $1M Canada Day lobster heist

Four men have been charged in the theft of $1 million worth of lobster in northern New Brunswick company on Canada Day, say RCMP.

Police believe the lobster theft is connected to a larger crime ring targeting cargo shipments in Quebec and New Brunswick, Cpl. Alice Desroches said in a news release on Tuesday.

On July 1, a transport truck was stolen fromEco-Technologies Ltd. in Caraquet, N.B., said Desroches.

The truck was then used to steal arefrigerated unit filled with frozen lobster from LeBreton and Sons Fisheries Ltd. in Grand-Anse, N.B., she said.

One man from New Brunswick and three men from Quebec have each been charged with two counts of theft over $5,000, said Desroches.

A 40-year-old man from Cap-Bateau, N.B., is scheduled to appear in provincial court in Caraquet on June 20.

A 21-year-old man from Terrebonne, Que., is scheduled to appear in provincial court in Tracadieon June 28.

Two other Quebec men, a 42-year-old man from Saint-Benot-Labreand 52-year-old man fromSaint-Georges-de-Beauce,will both appear in court "at a later date," she said.

16 arrested in 6 raids

On March 8, police arrested 16people, aged20 to 56, during six raids in New Brunswick and Quebec in connection with an alleged multimillion criminal network.

Seized items included deluxe cars and truckloads of diapers, pork, lobster andsparkling fruit juice.

Quebec provincial police are still seeking the public's help in locating three men wanted as part of the operation, dubbed Obliger:Ralph Leblanc, 53, of Memramcook, N.B.,YannickDemers, 42, of Sherbrooke, Que., and DenisValle, 35, of Waterloo, Ont.

Operation Obligerbegan in June 2016 and involved 78 cases of theftrepresenting more than $5.3 million in stolen goods.

The thefts occurredin Quebec, New Brunswick and Ontario, policesaid.