The British International Freight Association has urged companies across the logistics sector to take part in a national police survey designed to map the scale and effects of serious organised acquisitive crime on UK supply chains.
The exercise is led by Opal, the intelligence unit coordinating the National Police Chiefs’ Council portfolio on such offending.
It aims to produce the evidence base police and industry need to disrupt groups that operate across force boundaries and, in some cases, internationally.
Industry and police sources noted the difficulty of quantifying freight-related offending without coherent national data and joined-up reporting.
Opal’s work forms part of a wider effort to bring greater clarity to criminality that affects freight and vehicle-based transport.
Law enforcement and sector intelligence units already share information and analysis with trade bodies to identify trends and support cross-border inquiries, but police and industry commentators say persistent gaps in classification and reporting impede detailed threat mapping.
Better organised intelligence is intended to help target resources where criminal networks are most active.
Steve Parker, director general of BIFA, said: “Criminal activity targeting the supply chain continues to evolve in both sophistication and scale. It is essential that our industry works closely with law enforcement to ensure that emerging threats are properly understood and addressed.
“We strongly encourage all BIFA members and industry stakeholders to complete this survey, as the data collected will play a crucial role in shaping effective responses and safeguarding the integrity of UK supply chains.”
The association frames its backing as part of an ongoing push to strengthen resilience and promote best practice among freight forwarders, hauliers, warehouse operators and port and airport partners.
Industry partners and policing units have been building practical collaborations to tackle rising losses. National crime summaries and trade-body reporting point to significant year-on-year increases in goods stolen from vehicles, prompting initiatives from both private-sector security groups and law enforcement to improve information sharing and preventive measures.
Recent alliances between trade associations and specialist policing teams aim to give operators clearer threat indicators and stronger routes for reporting incidents.
Those working in logistics are being asked to contribute details on the nature of offending, common vulnerabilities and the consequences of disruptions so that prevention and enforcement strategies can be more finely tuned.
Police leaders and sector representatives say pooled data will support targeted operations against organised groups and enable industry to adopt protective measures informed by up-to-date intelligence.
BIFA has directed members to its own channels for participation details and emphasised that responses will feed into a coordinated national approach to protecting legitimate trade.
The request comes as government, policing and industry actors step up efforts to close information gaps and trial new mechanisms aimed at distinguishing freight crime from other forms of vehicle theft, with the objective of reducing losses and improving safety across the supply chain.
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