New Team To Combat Miami Cargo Theft

This is a tremendous thing, said Alberto Marino of Almar International, a freight forwarder near Miami International Airport (MIA).

Cargo theft is a huge problem at MIA and the Port of Miami, costing millions of dollars per year and prompting some shippers to consider moving to other ports.

We understand there will be tremendous economic impact if people stop shipping through Miami, said Federal Bureau of Investigation special agent Paul Miller.

The new task force, which will officially start October 1, will be composed of 14 full-time officers from the FBI, Metro-Dade police department and the Florida department of law enforcement, said Miller. The US Customs Service also will be involved.

 

The 14 investigators will be bolstered by $160,000 for equipment and overtime. We have had special cargo task forces before, but before this there was no funding, said Miller.

This is a positive move, said Al Checkett, head of security at Calvin Klein Cosmetics Co.

Checkett and other shippers have been lobbying hard and working with law enforcement to get more money and manpower behind such law enforcement efforts.

The previous Miami task force recovered $5.7 million of property and made 48 arrests in 1995. From January to August this year, they made 52 arrests and recovered $6.3 million in stolen goods.

The theft rings have become increasingly more organised, said Miller, and truck drivers have been assaulted and trucks hijacked.