Authorities dismantle international crime ring with ties to Ventura County

Ventura County and federal investigators say they have dismantled what they believe is a massive criminal tourism ring in which people entered the United States to commit crimes such as shoplifting, burglary and identity theft.

Prosecutors say the elaborate operation was run out of a car rental business in Sherman Oaks. They say Juan Carlos Thola-Duran of Santa Clarita and his girlfriend operated Driver Car Rentals.

Many of the criminals came from South America. Investigators assume that Thola-Duran rented vehicles to the criminal tourists.

They say he then bought stolen or fraudulently obtained items from the criminals for a fraction of their price and then resold them. The ring is believed to have been formed in January 2018. It was shut down last month.

According to Ventura County Sheriff Jim Fryhoff, more than 130 people have been arrested in the county in connection with the operation since 2019. The company's rental cars have been linked to several thefts in Ventura County.

Investigators believe that in addition to the thefts, Thola-Duran and others conspired to fraudulently obtain a quarter of a million dollars in Covid-19 relief funds.