The topic de jour among politicians, at dinner tables, and on the minds of millions of Americans is affordability. The price of countless items has escalated at what feels like a record pace. Energy tends to get the most attention, with gas prices and electric bills stretching household budgets. But plenty of other areas merit scrutiny as well. As lawmakers look for ways to ease financial burdens for consumers, the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 (CORCA) in this year’s Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) offers one pathway for relief.
Cargo theft is on the rise and the numbers are staggering. Across the U.S. and Canada, reported cargo theft losses reached nearly $725 million in 2025—a 60 percent increase over 2024. In the second quarter of 2026 alone, losses hit $300 million, which is more than double the same period from the previous year.
Railroads are experiencing alarming spikes. The industry recorded 65,000 theft incidents worth $100 million in 2024. Incidents rose to 75,000 in 2025, but the total losses doubled. High-value goods are increasingly targeted.
Trucking loses $18 million a day, or approximately $6.6 billion annually. They too are seeing heightened activity.
Well-funded by sophisticated criminal organizations that operate across state and country borders, thieves use identity theft, fraud, and falsified credentials to swindle carriers into handing over cargo. Criminals can hack into freight broker accounts, post fake shipments, and take control of carriers’ systems, all while sitting behind a computer. Their profits are often used to finance other illicit ventures, including drugs, weapons, and terrorism.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau estimates that cargo theft costs the U.S. economy and consumers up to $35 billion annually. This theft acts as a hidden tax: Multi-billion-dollar losses are passed down to consumers through higher prices on store shelves. When manufacturers, carriers, and logistics providers are forced to absorb these losses and pay skyrocketing insurance premiums, they adjust their bottom lines. Consumers are paying more for everyday goods because theft is a major problem.
These organized criminal rings exploit differences in state laws and leave fragmented local agencies unable to track or prosecute them effectively. Stronger federal coordination is needed.
CORCA is designed to strengthen collaboration among federal, state, and local law enforcement and private-sector partners to dismantle large-scale, organized retail theft and cargo crime networks. It establishes a centralized hub to coordinate data sharing and multi-agency investigations. It will also expand money laundering and forfeiture authorities to target the financial structures, shell companies, and online marketplaces used to launder proceeds from stolen goods. And it provides grants, technical assistance, and training to frontline agencies.
Receiving substantial bipartisan support with more than 200 cosponsors, the House version of CORCA overwhelmingly passed in May by a vote of 348 to 60. Riding this momentum and bypassing legislative bottlenecks in the Senate, CORCA has been included as an amendment to the 2027 NDAA.
CORCA has garnered support from a broad coalition of retail associations, business groups, transportation and logistics companies, law enforcement organizations, and state officials. All understand the gravity of highly organized crime and the toll it takes on the economy, corporations, communities, and households.
CORCA is a practical step toward easing the affordability pressures facing American families. By strengthening federal coordination, disrupting the financial engines that sustain organized theft rings, and giving law enforcement the tools to pursue criminals operating across jurisdictions, Congress can help stem billions in losses that quietly inflate prices on everyday goods. With broad support from industry, law enforcement, and state leaders, CORCA represents a meaningful opportunity to protect supply chains, reduce hidden costs, and deliver real relief to consumers.
