Thieves Finding New Methods to Sell Pilfered Cargoes by Relabeling and Repackaging

Just as motor carriers are becoming increasingly cautious about who is driving their trucks in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, law enforcement officials say cargo thieves are growing increasingly sophisticated in their modus operandi.

While some methods — such as hijacking and stealing trailers from truck stops — remain old tricks of the trade, new trends continue to surface. Some of the latest include repackaging and relabeling merchandise before shipping it to Asia, and hiding stolen trailers in no-fly zones so they remain undetected by aircraft and radar.

And, increasingly, organized crime is playing a major role in stealing billions of dollars’ worth of cargo each year.

For the full story, see the Dec. 24 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.