It’s not a topic you hear about every day, you may not have heard about cargo theft headlining the news. Crime of such nature had become more organized and more violent, and consumer is paying a hefty price for it. Per U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cargo theft is when any commercial shipments is stolen during the means of being carried on trucks, rail train, planes, steamship line, etc.
Dynamic of the problem
This type of crime is a serious crime; it has its own separate reportable category in the Uniform Crime Report (UCR). Not every crime that was committed was report due to company wanted to avoid bad publicity, higher insurance premium, embarrassment, etc. therefore the exact dollar aren’t know.
Per FBI reports, Cargo theft had estimated to value up to as much as $30 billion dollars in losses every year. Who are the victims of these sorts of crime, workers such as drivers, and warehouse workers during armed hijacking and robbery. These losses are tact onto consumer’s prices, so when these crime happens, it ultimately consumer like me and you.
What type of products that these nature of crime that criminal target?Â
Everything shipments can be a target, but statistically higher sought after products such as cigarettes, pharmaceuticals, and especially computers or electronics components due to its higher value and demands on the black market.
What are being done to combat Cargo theft?
Majority of these crime will involve organize criminal enterprises that will extent to international ground, which is why FBI work with U.S. Immigration, Custom enforcement, and international authority to combat these crimes to prevent fueling criminal enterprises. These illegal proceeds maybe used to fund other criminal operation such as drug trafficking, money laundering, or even terrorism.
FBI had join forces with state and local law enforcement agencies in 5 major transportation HUB in the U.S.: New York, El Paso, Miami, Chicago, and Memphis. With the assistance from the industry from merchandiser, warehouse, or drivers, law enforcement were able to set up sting operation to catch thieves by providing trucking, shipping, and storing stolen goods for law enforcement. Company would provide merchandise, warehouse equipment and trucks for sting operation, even forensic labs to analyze evidence.
Cargo theft is a multi billions dollar industries. Money ultimately comes from our own pocket. When you see a IPOD, or laptop on the flea Market that is so cheap, it is most likely is from cargo theft. You may think that I save now, but in the long run, you pay in other ways. Think before you buy!
