Hearings

Grand Theft Cargo: Examining a Costly Threat to Consumers and the U.S. Supply Chain

February 27, 2025
10:30 AM

WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines, and Safety, will convene a subcommittee hearing titled “Grand Theft Cargo: Examining a Costly Threat to Consumers to the U.S. Supply Chain” on Thursday, February 27, 2025 at approximately 10:30 AM EST.  The hearing will focus on the rise in cargo theft, and specifically on crimes within the supply chain like brokering scams, fraudulent trucking companies, and train robberies by highly organized gangs. The hearing aims to examine potential solutions, including increased coordination and enforcement by federal agencies like the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Department of Homeland Security, to stop these criminal enterprises.

As Sen. Young said upon announcing this hearing: 

“The increased threat of strategic cargo theft is threatening our supply chains and hurting American businesses and consumers. Organized crime units are operating from not only within the U.S. but also internationally from Armenia, Colombia, and Mexico and targeting high value goods to steal and finance their illegal activities like drug smuggling. This hearing will highlight the sophisticated tactics that criminals are using to target freight moving by rail and truck through the Crossroads of America and the rest of the U.S.”

Witnesses:

  • Chief Will Johnson, Chief Special Agent, BNSF Railway Police Department & 2nd Vice President of International Association of Chiefs of Police of Fort Worth, Texas.
  • Mr. Robert Howell, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Academy Sports and Outdoors of Katy, Texas
  • Mr. Adam Blanchard, Principal and CEO, Tanager Logistics and Double Diamond Transport of San Antonio, Texas

Additional witness will be announced at a later date.

Details:

WHAT: Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines, and Safety Subcommittee hearing titled “Grand Theft Cargo: Examining the Growing Threat to the U.S. Supply Chain”

DATE: Thursday, February 27, 2025

TIME: 10:30 AM EST approx. (following CST markup)

LOCATION: Committee Hearing Room, Russell 253

LIVESTREAM: The hearing will stream live on the Committee Website and YouTube 

MEDIA INFO: Reporters wanting to attend the committee should contact their respective media gallery to RSVP.