Authorities Busted Portland Food Carts For Using Meat from Thieves’ Pants

You think you know where your meat comes from, right? Maybe you eat beef, but only at classy or all-organic restaurants, where you would assume it's grass-fed. Or maybe you make a point to patronize your local small businesses, like the food truck circuit that hangs out near your office, under the assumption that they, too, get their meats from smaller and more reputable suppliers. It feels good to engage with your community!

Well, a couple of Portland food truck owners have been found to really be getting in deep with the local community—of criminals.

Yesterday, two Portland food cart owners were arrested after a months-long investigation revealed that they were sourcing their meat from shoplifters that had nabbed it from local grocery stores. And, since theft usually involves obscuring the goods that you're nicking, the meat was mostly shoved down the pants of said thieves while making its way between supermarket and food truck.

The investigation started last fall, when a nearby Safeway store began to pursue information about where stolen meat was being distributed. Meat thieves would load up their chinos or JNCOs with packages of meat, and then smuggle it out of the store and to nearby cart owners at the intersection of SW 10th Ave. and Washington St., where a group of food trucks would often congregate. In an understatement, Sergeant Pete Simpson of the Portland Police Bureau called the practice "really not a healthy way to handle meat."

Renuka Devi Prasad, 48, of Ren's Bubble Tea and Wing Fai Lee, 56, of Chop Chop attempted to purchase the stolen meat numerous times in September, October, and November. They also purchased black-market soda, oven cleaner, and utensils. Both are being charged with theft by receiving. Prasad tells Portland news network KOIN 6 that she "did not know the meat was stolen" and that she thought that the meat-slangers were from a wholesaler. Food cart operators, by law, must purchase their food from approved wholesalers or produce suppliers.

Your stomach may be turning if you've eaten at either cart and happen to be reading this right now, but as of their arrest, the county had yet to receive any complaints about either cart, though a health inspector did find a cross-contamination violation at Chop Chop in November that was resolved.

In her mugshot, Renuka looks thoroughly displeased with this development. Wing Fai Lee seems to prefer eye contact aversion.

Chop Chop serves Chinese fare such as sesame chicken, broccoli beef, and Peking pork. Ren's Bubble Tea primarily offers Asian-style boba tea and smoothies, but its menu also includes savory items such as chicken tenders and a perplexing "Fish Caesar Wrap."

So if you're a Portland-based pants-stuffing meat shoplifter looking for some new clients, you might want to steer clear of the food truck lot. Secret's out.