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On September 7th, 2024, Overhaul executed the recovery of a full truckload of fraudulently stolen tobacco products. The carrier had uplifted them from Jacksonville, FL with a destination of Dallas, TX. Remote monitoring uncovered a deviation from the logical route, which indicated a pattern of behavior consistent with a fraudulent theft in progress. Soon after, the LE Connect team was activated.
The carrier and driver provided conflicting reasons for the deviation. For example, they claimed that the trailer was being towed back to origin due to the tractor being out of service.
After a thorough investigation by the LE Connect team, it was determined that the trailer was in Hope Hull, AL (south of Montgomery, AL). Law enforcement was immediately dispatched to the location of the trailer.
Overhaul’s LE Connect team coordinated with the law enforcement officers on the ground and briefed them on what to look for. This enabled the officers to locate the stolen trailer, despite having been repainted, remarked, and having its license plates replaced.
A full recovery was made and the cargo was returned to the shipper.
Why tobacco theft is on the rise
Tobacco products often transit across multiple countries and long routes. This can make it difficult to maintain visibility over tobacco shipments. They’re also easy to resale and difficult to trace. Additionally, there’s a large market for tobacco products, and their small size makes them easy to conceal and transport.
Combined, these qualities make tobacco products an attractive target for thieves. And because shippers are often unaware of these risks, they rarely invest in the right tools to help prevent them.
Recommendations for preventing and recovering from the theft of tobacco products
Overhaul recommends that tobacco shippers, as well as all shippers of targeted and high-demand or high-value products, thoroughly vet all brokers and carriers in their network. You should also document all drivers, tractors, and trailers that arrive to pick up cargo. This means having thorough pictures that include all identifying markings on the tractor/trailer, as well as the driver and his CDL. This information should match the information provided prior to the driver’s arrival.
Shippers must also invest in the right tools to help prevent and respond to risk. This includes 24/7 visibility and risk monitoring, which not only helps identify threats, but also stops them. Additionally, contextual intelligence, remote compliance monitoring, and an immediate escalation process with a path to effective law enforcement engagement are all critical to recognizing and recovering stolen cargo. Fortunately, Overhaul’s holistic approach to risk helps with all of these problems—and more.
Reach out today to schedule a demo and see how Overhaul can help protect your in-transit shipments from tobacco theft.
