Top 10 pharma cargo thefts, 2009/2010

Drug Cargo Theft: The New Goldmine


U.S. pharma cargo thefts, 2009

Big pharma means big money, especially for thieves. In a much publicized and spectacular heist, burglars made off with $75 million worth of drugs from an Eli Lily warehouse in Connecticut last March. That's a high-value hit, but it's just one incident in a growing crime wave targeting pharmaceuticals.

Although warehouse thefts like Lilly's are on the rise, cargo theft mainly occurs in transit as thieves make off with unattended tractor-trailers at truck stops or parking lots. Stolen drugs are most often shipped to Latin America or to illegal online pharmacies. Sometimes they make their way back into the legitimate supply chain with new fake labels.

The appealing pay-off an relatively light penalties for getting caught have contributed to a rise in U.S. cargo thefts. Click here to begin our report on the top 10 pharma cargo thefts of 2009/2010. Report ⇒