As the U.S. Senate continues to examine the alarming rise in cargo theft, lawmakers must recognize this for what it is: a direct threat to our economy, national security, and the livelihoods of millions of Americans.
Reported cargo theft has surged more than 1,500% since 2021 and is estimated to cost the supply chain up to $35 billion annually. No commodity is safe, from electronics and pharmaceuticals to food and infrastructure components. And the consequences are real: delayed deliveries, rising costs, empty shelves, and increased risk for the men and women behind the wheel. This is not just a trucking problem. It’s an American problem.
One of our trucking company members testified yesterday before members of the Senate about its own experience with cargo theft. At 1:09 AM on a quiet Sunday, seven vehicles breached secure areas. Police responded within three-and-a-half minutes, but even in that limited timespan, coordinated thieves were able to steal $25,000 in high-value goods.
With growing sophistication, criminal rings are exploiting systemic gaps among law enforcement, using fake identities, forged documents, and cyber tactics to steal freight. These are not opportunistic thefts. They are well-organized, often transnational criminal operations. And they’re succeeding because we’ve been slow to adapt.
Congress must act. The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, or CORCA, is a bipartisan solution that would give federal agencies the resources and coordination they need to fight this crisis. As it stands, there’s no national task force or centralized reporting system. Law enforcement lacks real-time visibility into theft patterns, and many cases go cold before they begin.
Even when suspects are identified, prosecutions are inconsistent. Without clear federal statutes defining cargo theft as a serious economic crime, many cases are never pursued. That sends a dangerous signal: Organized crime groups can operate with near impunity.
Passing CORCA is critical to changing that. These criminal networks impersonate carriers and brokers using stolen credentials, exploit online freight-matching platforms, and vanish with the cargo. Some double-broker loads leave the real carrier unpaid and the freight untraceable. Others deploy GPS jamming and identity spoofing to reroute truckloads without detection.
We’re also seeing phishing campaigns that harvest sensitive login credentials from dispatchers, shell companies cropping up weekly, and foreign actors scraping and spoofing U.S. logistics platforms.
And this isn’t petty theft. The average stolen load is worth over $200,000, with very real impacts: truckers left vulnerable, small carriers pushed toward bankruptcy, consumers facing higher prices and empty shelves. Each stolen shipment sends ripples through the economy.
Each member of the supply chain now must invest more heavily in digital and physical security to protect their goods, oftentimes leading to increased prices for the U.S. consumer. It’s not fair, and it’s not right. With many instances of cargo theft going unreported, we’re likely far underreporting the true scale of this crisis. But one thing is certain: It will continue to spiral out of control without federal intervention.
We applaud the Senate Judiciary Committee for holding Tuesday’s hearing. But a hearing is just the start. What the industry and the public need is action.
CORCA has bipartisan support, industry backing, and no time to waste. Congress must move it to the president’s desk. Every day we wait is another day criminals exploit our supply chain.
CHINA IS WINNING THE TRUCKING ARMS RACE
Lawmakers have the opportunity and the responsibility to act.
Protect our truckers. Secure our freight. Strengthen our economy. Pass the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act.
Chris Spear is the President and CEO of the American Trucking Associations.
