Organized Theft Threatens Supply Chain Integrity: Senate Hearing Underscores Need for Congressional Action

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), recently held a hearing titled “Beyond the Smash and Grab: Criminal Networks and Organized Theft.” The session highlighted the sharp rise in organized cargo and retail theft and the urgent need for a coordinated federal response to safeguard America’s supply chain infrastructure.

A Sophisticated and Expanding Threat

What were once isolated, opportunistic thefts have evolved into highly organized, transnational criminal enterprises. Witnesses, testified that cargo theft rose 27% in 2024, with annual losses now exceeding $35 billion. Stolen goods are not only funneled through sophisticated fencing operations but also used to fund serious criminal activities, including terrorism and weapons trafficking.

CORCA: A Federal Response to Organized Supply Chain Crime

In response, Senators Grassley and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), along with Representatives David Joyce (R-OH-14) and Susie Lee (D-NV-3), re-introduced the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA) [S. 1404 / H.R. 2853]. While initially focused on retail theft, the legislation has been expanded in the 119^th Congress to address broader multimodal supply chain threats, including cargo theft and freight fraud.

Key Provisions of CORCA:

• Establishes a Federal Coordination Center at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to unify investigations and enforcement across federal, state, and local levels.
• Modernizes federal criminal statutes under Title 18 of the U.S. Code to better prosecute organized retail and cargo theft.
• Increases penalties for theft and fraudulent transportation of goods, particularly across borders.
• Facilitates public-private partnerships among DHS, FMCSA, retailers, brokers, and carriers to identify and prevent criminal activity.

TIA: Advancing a Coordinated Anti-Fraud Legislative Strategy

CORCA also complements another critical, bipartisan bill backed by TIA: Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act [H.R. 880 / S. 337]. This legislation restores FMCSA’s authority to shut down fraudulent actors and strengthen vetting of new registrants, long-overdue reforms in today’s digital brokerage environment.

With both CORCA and Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act moving forward on a bipartisan, bicameral basis, now is the time for YOU, our membership, to act. Join us at TIA’s Policy Forum in Washington, D.C to tell Congress that cargo theft and freight fraud are not just financial concerns, they pose national security risks, endanger consumers, and undermine supply chain resilience.

What You Can Do: Tell Your Story

Join TIA in advocating for CORCA and the Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act!

• Urge Congress to Pass CORCA (S. 1404 / H.R. 2853) CLICK HERE
• Support the Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act (S. 337 / H.R. 880) CLICK HERE
• Join Us at the TIA 2025 Policy Forum in Washington, D.C. September 15 – 17^th. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

When logistics professionals show up, lawmakers listen. Join us in the fight against supply chain crime and help protect the backbone of America’s economy.