A family in California made $7.6 million from their recycling efforts but prosecutors said it was all done illegally.
Charges were filed last week against eight people, all family members, in Riverside County Superior Court claiming that they used smuggled containers to rake in millions of dollars since last October, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Investigators said the family carted 178 tons of cans and bottles from Arizona where there is no cash for recyclables program to California where there is, KTLA reported.
CalRecycle said that the family members took the aluminum cans and plastic bottles to six different recycling centers where they collected between 5 cents and 10 cents for each item under the California Redemption Value program.
A CRV tax is added to products purchased in California and is redeemed when the containers are returned for recycling. But items from outside the state are not eligible for the payments, KCBS reported.
The investigation found more than $1 million and more containers that are suspected of being from out of state the Times reported.
The family members have been charged with recycling fraud, grand theft and conspiracy, KCBS reported.
