Cargo theft is costing an estimated $18 million per day, with annual losses of about $6.6 billion and 74 percent of goods unrecovered, according to industry analysis. Criminal activity is concentrated near major freight corridors in states including California, Texas, Illinois, and Tennessee, with increasing use of digital fraud to reroute shipments and exploit logistics systems.
In Washington, Gov. Bob Ferguson vetoed $500,000 in proposed funding for organized retail crime enforcement, despite the state being identified as a leading location for retail crime with roughly $3 billion in related losses. Stakeholders noted prior pilot funding of $1 million supported increased case activity and diversion efforts.
April also saw widespread enforcement actions, including multimillion-dollar counterfeit and cargo theft schemes tied to ports, online resale operations, and freight theft rings across California, Florida, Oregon, and other states. Additional cases included seizures of counterfeit luxury goods and arrests linked to organized theft operations targeting national retailers and supply chains.
