They Worked So Hard to Make It – But Now $1M of Tequila is Gone!

In a twist that could easily be pulled from a Hollywood heist film, two trucks full of Santo Tequila — the premium label co-owned by celebrity chef Guy Fieri and former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar — mysteriously vanished last weekend. The trucks, which were carrying a staggering 24,240 bottles of the coveted tequila, disappeared following an apparent theft in Laredo, Texas.

The lost cargo, valued at around $1 million, represents 39 months of hard work and dedication, reports PEOPLE.com. Speaking about the shocking event, Fieri shared his frustration and disbelief. “We’ve worked so hard,” he said. “This is our best year we’ve ever had in Santo. We just had all this momentum, and now, whatever’s on the shelf is all people are going to get.”

According to Fieri, the two trucks, each loaded with 220 cases of Santo, were hijacked sometime on November 9 or 10. He and Hagar were not made aware of the heist until Thursday, when the news reached them. Fieri explained how this setback could not have come at a worse time. “This is usually our busiest time of year,” he added, referring to the holiday season, when demand for Santo Tequila is at its peak.

What makes the theft even more suspicious, according to Fieri, is the fact that both trucks were targeted. “I mean, one is one. But now you’ve got to have double the amount of people to pull off the double heist,” he remarked. “It just seems so much riskier to take two trucks.” This has raised questions about whether someone is actively trying to derail the growing success of Santo Tequila.

The local authorities, along with L.A.’s Cargo Criminal Apprehension Team and CargoNet — a federal organization that specializes in cargo theft investigations — are now working to track down the missing trucks. Fieri, determined to get answers, has offered a $10,000 reward for any information that could lead to the recovery of the stolen tequila.

Fieri couldn’t help but reflect on the surreal nature of the situation. “It’s like a movie,” he said, clearly taken aback. “I never in a million years thought this was coming down the pike like this, but it’s real.”