Fifteen suspects accused of using food trucks to rig more than adozen accidents are now sampling the cuisine at a Florida detentioncenter.

The case is part of a continuing crackdown by Florida CFO JeffAtwater's Division of Insurance Fraud and the National InsuranceCrime Bureau (NICB) to quell rampant auto insurance fraud schemesthat have plagued the state for years—and siphoned precious fundsfrom Fla. insurers and policyholders in the process.

During the course of a two-year investigation, authoritiestracked a Miami, Fla. fraud ring whose routes put a new spin on theterm “the lunch rush.” According to Atwater's office, thedefendants allegedly used the trucks to orchestrate accidents forwhich they filed more than $800,000 in fraudulent property damageand personal injury protection (PIP) claims.

It is also believed that the vehicle owners enlisted the help ofadditional participants posing as insureds to set up more than 12auto accidents between 2008 and 2010. Last week, the divisionannounced the arrest of 15 suspects in connection with the ventureand expressed optimism about the recent legislative developments inputting the brakes on these scams permanently.

“I am confident that reforms passed this session will help stopfraud at the source while giving us more tools to go after scamartists,” Atwater stated in a press release. “I will not stand byand let these organized crime rings steal [policyholders']hard-earned dollars.”

Under CFO Atwater's leadership, the division has arrested 166suspects so far this year. In 2011, the unit apprehended 392 forPIP fraud, which signified a 44-percent increase from 2010.