TAPA security professionals meet to talk EU cargo crime

SENIOR security professionals from high value product manufacturers, transport and logistics providers are meeting in Malta this week to discuss initiatives to tackle the growing threat of cargo crime in Europe.

Over the course of three days, delegates will hear presentations from security specialists covering the symptoms of loss and analysis of the effectiveness of counter measures. They will also discuss how to persuade management to invest in supply chain security, said a statement from the organisers, the Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA).

Thorsten Neumann, chairman of TAPA EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa region), said: "This latest TAPA conference creates a platform for like-minded security professionals to learn more about crime trends and share best practice in crime prevention. They will hear about regulatory, law enforcement and customs initiatives as well as new products and systems designed to protect high value goods as they are transported through the supply chain."

He noted that in the second quarter of 2007, TAPA members in the EMEA region reported 199 incidents of cargo crime with a total loss value of EUR13.5 million (US$19.79 million). Of this, he said in the release, only EUR124,000 was successfully recovered.

"In most cases, we are battling against organised criminals who believe the supply chain is a soft target. TAPA is working constantly to ensure that this is not the case in EMEA as well as Asia, the Americas and in specific countries such as South Africa," said Mr Neumann.

In support of its claims, TAPA pointed to a recent report compiled for the European Parliament that estimated within the European Union cargo theft from trucks amounted to EUR8.2 billion a year, an average of EUR6.72 per loaded truck trip. The report noted that technology related products remain the biggest target for criminals - representing 79 per cent of thefts - along with pharmaceutical products and luxury goods.