Operation Smash & Cash: Suspected multi-state lottery ticket theft ring ends with arrests

After a lengthy investigation, authorities announced that six men have been charged with a multi-state lottery ticket theft ring that reportedly targeted stores in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

The lottery ticket theft ring investigation

Around 6 a.m. on February 27, the Swampscott Police responded to a Citgo gas station located at 219 Paradise Road in Swampscott. Once officers arrived at the scene, they noticed a window was broken into, and 300 Massachusetts Lottery scratch tickets were stolen, according to the Essex District Attorney's Office.

This was the alleged first theft in the ring and began the investigation in what police and prosecutors called “Operation Smash & Cash.”

The thefts started to add up, with other communities reporting break-ins and having similar stories as what happened in Swampscott. These other dates and locations include:

• March 2 - Richdale Convenience, located at 306 Lincoln Ave. in Saugus;
• March 6 - Salem Variety Store, located at 222 Sales St. in Wakefield;
• March 6 (just one hour later) - A One Market, located at 50 Central Street in Peabody;
• March 13 - Richdale Convenience, located at 29 Smith St. in Marblehead;
• March 19 - Richdale Convenience, located at 472 Lafayette Road in Seabrook, N.H.;
• March 25 - Citgo, located at 159 Amherst St. in Nashua, N.H.;
• March 27 - Village Market, located at 6 Danville Road in Fremont, N.H.;
• March 29 - Engen gas station, located at 132 North Lowell Road in Windham, N.H.;
• March 29 (an hour later) - Eli's Country Store, located at 381 Middlesex Ave. in Wilmington;
• April 11 - Richdale Convenience, located at 139 Lynnfield St. in Peabody;
• April 11 (about an hour and 20 minutes later) - Richdale Convenience, located at 543 Chatham St. in Lynn.

This was a joint effort, as police from each of these communities and many more, including the Massachusetts State Police, worked together for three months to investigate these thefts, according to the Essex DA's office.

On April 24, 2024, authorities announced that six men who are affiliates of the Trinitarios gang were arrested and arraigned in district court on charges of being fugitives from justice.

Officials said they were then arraigned in Essex Superior Court on a total of 121 indictments. The charges vary per man, but they include larceny, larceny from a building, breaking and entering in the nighttime for felony, money laundering, common and notorious theft, improper use of a credit card, wanton destruction of property, and receiving stolen property.

The men arrested in the lottery ticket theft ring were Darwin Batista, 20, of Lynn; David Garcia, 22, of Lynn; Israel Garcia, 22, of Methuen; Westyn Lantigua, 23, of Lynn; Angel Santos, 24, of Lynn; and Aaron Diaz Liranzo, 25, of Revere, according to authorities.

Officials said all of the men are being held without bail until May 30 on the fugitive from justice charges. They will return to Superior Court on May 8 and May 10 for bail arguments.

In a statement, Essex District Attorney Paul Tucker said:

These indictments and arrests are a reflection of the tremendous partnerships between state and local agencies and represent how law enforcement and prosecutors from my office work tirelessly and side-by-side to solve and prosecute crimes perpetrated by criminal networks.

Enjoy playing the lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.