• Cargo theft is surging across North America, with sophisticated criminal networks targeting high-value shipments in the US, Mexico, and Canada.
• US trends: 3,798 incidents recorded in 2024, a 26 percent increase year-on-year, with losses approaching US$455 million; identity theft and shipment manipulation now account for one-third of thefts.
• Mexico trends: Violent theft dominates (82 percent of incidents in Q2 2025), with hotspots in Puebla, State of Mexico, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Veracruz, and San Luis Potosí; food, beverages, and industrial goods are most targeted.
• Airfreight risks: Airports in North America face theft attempts exploiting warehousing and handling vulnerabilities; high-value goods like electronics, pharmaceuticals, luxury items, and gold are primary targets. Notable case: C$20M gold theft at Toronto Pearson in 2023 using fraudulent shipping documents.
• Mitigation strategies: Tech-driven solutions (satellite tracking, biometrics, real-time surveillance), route risk management, secure parking, escorted convoys, and regulatory measures like the Combating Organised Retail Crime Act.
• Cargo theft has risen sharply in the United States, Mexico and Canada, driven by strategic criminal networks, daring heists and rampant violence, especially along key transport routes. These events are testing supply chain resilience and safety along major freight corridors.

US cargo theft: sophisticated, high-value operations

The US is witnessing an escalation in cargo theft. A record 3,798 incidents were recorded in 2024, 26 percent higher than the previous year, resulting in reported losses nearing US$455 million, although some estimates suggest annual losses exceed US$1 billion. (New York Post)

Criminals have increasingly shifted to identity theft, impersonating shipping companies and manipulating registry systems to reroute freight. This method accounted for nearly one-third of all cargo thefts in 2024, up from just 8 percent in 2020. (New York Post)

Mexico’s high violence and epicentre corridors

Mexico’s cargo theft landscape is active, marked by violence, vulnerability and dangerous routes:

During Q2 2025, 82 percent of cargo thefts involved violence, showcasing the severity of threats faced by carriers. (FreightWaves)

The most affected regions include Puebla (23.5 percent) and the State of Mexico (20 percent). Central states such as Guanajuato, Michoacán, Veracruz and San Luis Potosí are also heavily targeted. (FreightWaves)

Most targeted goods: food and beverages (33 percent), followed by building and industrial materials (10 percent). Offenders frequently intercept trucks in transit (65 percent) or strike unsecured parking zones (34 percent) to execute thefts. (FreightWaves)

Airfreight: an overlooked but emerging target

While most cargo theft headlines focus on trucks and rail, the airfreight sector is not immune. Airports in the US, Mexico and Canada have faced theft attempts exploiting vulnerabilities in warehousing, handling facilities and unsecured perimeters.

In the United States, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) and FBI have flagged cargo staging areas near airports, where high-value goods are stored before or after flights, as increasingly attractive to organised crime rings. Electronics, pharmaceuticals and luxury goods are the primary targets, with thieves often using insider information to time breaches.

Mexico’s recent move to consolidate all cargo operations at Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) has heightened concerns. While the relocation has centralised flows, critics warn that such concentrations of sensitive shipments in one location could create a single point of failure if security protocols fail. (Reuters)

Canadian gold heist

The risks in airfreight were made clear in April 2023 when thieves stole more than C$20 million in gold bars and foreign currency from an Air Canada cargo facility at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Using a fraudulent shipping document for a load of farm-raised Scottish salmon, they convinced staff to release the shipment to a getaway truck—a reminder that even highly secured hubs can be vulnerable. (CNN)

Though less frequent than highway hijackings, airport thefts carry outsized impact. A single breach can erase millions in value and ripple through global supply chains.

Industry experts stress that the very factors that make airfreight attractive—speed, high value and tight schedules—also make it vulnerable. Airport cargo theft may be less frequent than on highways, but its impact is disproportionately large. A single breach can involve millions in losses, disrupt flight schedules and trigger ripple effects across global supply chains.

Response strategies and industry recommendations

Legislation is emerging to counter cargo crimes, such as the Combating Organised Retail Crime Act and the Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act. Both aim to improve oversight and enable stricter penalties for identity theft. (New York Post)

Tech-driven security enhancements

Companies are increasingly relying on satellite tracking, biometric verification and real-time data surveillance to secure shipments. Some investments aim to outpace criminals using stolen or manipulated registry systems.

Route risk management and training

Shipping firms are mapping high-risk corridors, rerouting transit and deploying security protocols such as escorted convoys, secure parking for breaks and vetting partners to verify carrier identities.

An escalating crisis

Cargo theft across the US–Mexico corridor is increasing in both frequency and sophistication. US operations now face identity theft, copper heists and audacious train robberies. Mexico has seen rising violent theft targeting key routes and drivers.