Pharmaceutical Cargo Thefts on the Rise in Mexico

Figures recently released by a cargo security firm show that Mexico has become a popular spot for pharmaceutical cargo theft.

In the second quarter of 2010 there were six pharmaceutical cargo thefts in Mexico, compared to three in the first three months of the year, according to logistics security firm FreightWatch. While the number of pharmaceutical cargo thefts makes up a small percentage of overall cargo heists, the numbers indicate an upward trend, reports SecuringPharma.com.

FreightWatch CEO Barry Conlon said that thieves are now targeting pharmaceutical cargo shipments, which is a relatively new practice.

“Pharmaceutical theft four or five years ago wasn’t even on the radar,” he said. “And when it did occur, it was probably a mistake and it would turn up a day later. Now it’s actively being targeted.

The security firm said that pharmaceutical shipments are targeted because they are worth a lot.

“Drug gangs continue to target high-value truckloads to compensate for drug income losses occasioned by law enforcement efforts of Mexican government,” the company said.