Great Lakes Wire

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, alongside law enforcement officials and representatives from major Michigan retailers, welcomed White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden to the FORCE Team headquarters. The visit included a roundtable discussion focused on efforts to combat organized retail crime.

Attorney General Nessel emphasized the success of the FORCE Team since its inception last year. "Since the FORCE Team began operations last year, they immediately started producing results," Nessel stated. She highlighted that significant progress has been made in dismantling crime rings, arresting defendants across organizational levels, and building strong criminal cases.

Colonel James F. Grady II, director of the Michigan State Police, praised the collaboration between local and federal police with private sector entities. "The Michigan State Police is a proud partner of the FORCE team," he said.

White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden commended the team's efforts in ensuring community safety and supporting businesses. "Americans deserve to feel safe in their communities, including when they go to the store,” Tanden remarked. She noted that through collaborations with federal partners like the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, dozens of defendants have been prosecuted and over $10 million in products recovered for retailers.

Established in January 2023 by Attorney General Nessel, the FORCE Team targets criminal organizations involved in retail theft for profit. Since then, more than 80 defendants have been charged across 42 cases. The team has disrupted crime rings causing tens-of-millions of dollars in losses to Michigan retailers and recovered substantial merchandise along with cash and cryptocurrency.

The unit operates uniquely as a first-in-the-nation initiative with embedded staff from the Department of Attorney General working full-time alongside special agents and detectives from Michigan State Police. Partnerships extend to various corporate entities such as Walmart, Meijer, Target, Home Depot, among others.

The roundtable included participation from local police departments and associations representing retailers across Michigan.

Retailers or law enforcement agencies possessing evidence of organized retail fraud are encouraged to contact the FORCE Team via email for assistance.