Criminal gangs have  changed the face of global cargo theft as cargo owners and  logistics firms fight to keep pace with a new threat environment.

Transport and logistics insurer, TT Club, and supply chain risk adviser, BSI Consulting, have published their 2025 Cargo Theft Report, and  issued a stark warning to businesses, logistics operators, and authorities worldwide.

The report reveals a deepening and increasingly complex global cargo theft crisis, driven by organised criminal networks deploying ever more sophisticated tactics across road, rail, sea, and digital channels.

According to the report, Brazil, Mexico, India, the United States, Indonesia, Chile, China, Germany, and South Africa ranked as the world’s top countries for recorded cargo theft incidents. Ecuador experienced one of the sharpest increases of any nation, with theft cases nearly doubling as gang-related violence intensified in coastal provinces. Food and beverage products led all stolen commodity categories, followed by agriculture, electronics, automotive parts, construction materials, and metals.

Trucks remain the dominant target, accounting for roughly 70% of all incidents globally, and more than a fifth (22%) of global cargo theft incidents involved the cooperation of insiders.

It added rail cargo theft in the US rose from 4% of incidents in 2024 to 10% in 2025. Organised criminal groups – including networks linked to cartels operating out of Sinaloa, Mexico – carried out coordinated attacks on freight trains across rural areas of Arizona and California, employing deliberate system sabotage, detailed advance planning, and armed encounters with law enforcement.

Technology-enabled theft also grew more sophisticated, with criminals exploiting cybersecurity weaknesses, fraudulent documents, and impersonation tactics to carry out fictitious pickups, double and triple brokering, and product hostage schemes. California (31%), Texas (15%), and Illinois (7%) recorded the highest incident volumes in the United States.

Mike Yarwood, managing director of Loss Prevention at TT Club, explained: “Our 2025 findings make clear that cargo theft is no longer a static or predictable threat. Criminal networks are adapting faster than ever, exploiting new commodities, new technologies, and new vulnerabilities across the entire supply chain. Proactive, intelligence-led mitigation is no longer optional – it is essential.”

In Europe, Germany (27%), Italy (13%), the United Kingdom (9%), France (6%), and Spain (6%) reported the greatest number of thefts. Facility thefts rose notably – particularly in Italy, Germany, Romania, and Bulgaria – with warehouses accounting for 33% of all theft locations. In the UK, cargo theft losses reached $ 149 million in 2024, in 2025 a $9 million smartphone heist at Heathrow airport ranked among the highest-value incidents.

For Asia, piracy has continued to increase as new commodity targets emerged.

India, Indonesia, China, Bangladesh, and Vietnam were the region’s most affected countries the report added. Half of all incidents occurred at warehouses and production sites. A notable emerging trend was the theft of rare earth minerals in China. However, the report noted that maritime risks also escalated sharply, with sea piracy incidents rising 85% in the first half of 2025 – reaching their highest levels in nearly a decade. Likewise, the Strait of Malacca and Singapore experienced a 281% year-on-year surge in sea piracy.

Jim Yarbrough, global supply chain solutions director for BSI Consulting, added: “The 2025 data reinforces that cargo theft is a dynamic, intelligence-driven challenge that demands an equally dynamic response. Criminal groups are targeting every link in the chain – from unsecured parking spaces and rest stops to exploitable digital freight platforms. Organisations must match that sophistication with robust, flexible risk strategies.”