Cargo theft up dramatically in Mexico

Cargo theft of pharmaceuticals in Mexico is becoming more frequent and more costly. According to a recent report from FreightWatch, the number of drug cargo thefts in Mexico in 2012 was up 50% to 21 from just 14 the year before. And thieves are targeting higher-value products. The average loss went to $314,400 in 2012 from just $9,883 in 2011. Pharmaceutical cargo theft makes up only a small slice of the total in that country, but the crime there is far more dangerous than in the U.S. The standard mode of operation is for armed robbers to stop trucks and then divert them to someplace where the cargo can be removed. While drivers are generally released, some have been killed, the National Association of Private Transportation reports. This is all in contrast to the U.S. where the number of cargo thefts and the value have dropped dramatically in the last few years. FreightWatch recently reported that in 2012 in the U.S. there were 30 reported cargo thefts with an average loss of $168,219. In 2011, the average loss was more than $555,500, and in 2010, losses were the highest across all categories, averaging $3.7 million per incident. Report (reg. req.) | More