TAPA EMEA and BIFA Forge Strategic Partnership to Combat Rising Cargo Crime in the UK

A Unified Response to Escalating Freight Theft

The Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA EMEA) and the British International Freight Association (BIFA) have formed a new strategic partnership aimed at enhancing cargo security across the United Kingdom. This collaboration comes at a critical time, as the UK continues to rank among the top five countries in the Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) region for recorded cargo thefts.

Through an exchange of associate partner memberships, the two organizations will work more closely to share data, insights, and industry best practices. Their shared mission is to strengthen supply chain protection against increasingly sophisticated criminal activity targeting freight operations.

Growing Legislative Focus as Crime Bill Advances

The partnership has emerged alongside new government attention on freight-related crime. A proposed Freight Crime Bill—introduced by Member of Parliament Rachel Taylor—is scheduled for its second reading in the House of Commons on November 28.

This legislative effort follows a report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Freight and Logistics, which estimated that freight crime cost the UK economy approximately £700 million in 2023. The scale of financial loss underscores the urgency for coordinated industry and governmental action.

UK Among the Highest in EMEA Cargo Theft Rankings

According to TAPA EMEA’s UK Regional Lead, Harry Hughes, freight crime remains a significant challenge for its members. The UK consistently places in the top tier of EMEA nations for cargo theft, reflecting the severe and persistent nature of the threat.

Hughes emphasized that enhanced cooperation between organisations—including logistics companies, forwarders, haulage operators, and law enforcement agencies—marks an important step toward tackling the issue. By working together, stakeholders can reduce incidents and limit the financial impact on businesses, consumers, and the broader economy.

Leveraging Security Standards and Intelligence Tools

TAPA EMEA aims to support UK companies by making its security standards, intelligence platforms, and training widely accessible through the partnership. The association’s tools are designed to help logistics providers identify vulnerabilities, standardize protective measures, and build more resilient supply chains.

Hughes stressed that TAPA’s goal is to help freight companies safeguard against the types of attacks that frequently occur across the nation, ranging from vehicle break-ins and warehouse thefts to more coordinated criminal operations.

BIFA Emphasizes Collaboration as the Path Forward

BIFA director general Steve Parker welcomed the partnership, noting that collaboration is essential to addressing freight crime effectively. He pointed out that the new cooperation builds on BIFA’s strengthened involvement with the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), an organization dedicated to combatting freight and vehicle-related criminal activity.

By working with both TAPA EMEA and NaVCIS, BIFA aims to ensure that its extensive membership base—comprising hundreds of UK freight forwarders—remains informed about current threats and best practices. This, Parker said, will help companies take proactive steps to secure their operations and reduce exposure to theft.

Staggering Theft Statistics Reveal Widespread Problem

Data from the TAPA EMEA Intelligence System (TIS) illustrates the magnitude of cargo crime across the region. Between October 2023 and September 2025, TIS recorded more than 137,000 freight crime incidents across over 110 countries in EMEA.

Of these, 5,865 incidents occurred in the UK, placing it among the region’s most affected markets.

While loss values were only available for roughly 9% of UK theft cases, the recorded data still showed more than €72 million in stolen goods during the two-year period. This figure highlights not only the frequency but also the severity of cargo crime impacting supply chains throughout the country.

Industry Partnership Marks a Significant Step Toward Enhanced Security

The collaboration between TAPA EMEA and BIFA represents a meaningful shift toward unified industry action. As freight crime becomes more complex and damaging, shared intelligence, standardized security frameworks, and closer ties between industry bodies will play an increasingly important role in protecting supply chains.

With legislative support potentially on the horizon, and both associations committed to working side-by-side, the UK freight sector may soon be better equipped to combat the rising tide of cargo theft.