How to reduce cargo theft: the guide for shippers and carriers

Cargo theft is one of the biggest invisible costs in Brazilian logistics: the country records more than 14,000 incidents a year, with an estimated loss above R$ 1 billion. The good news is that much of this risk is avoidable with process and technology — not just with escorts.

Why cargo theft happens

A large share of losses involves document fraud, an irregular or third-party driver’s license and internal collusion. In other words: the problem begins before the road, when deciding who takes the cargo. When that selection is done by sampling, over the phone or by simply checking the document at the counter, what gets left out is exactly the history that separates a trustworthy driver from a high-risk one.

The practices that actually reduce the risk

• Screen and validate every driver and vehicle before clearing the trip — no exceptions;
• Monitor the cargo in real time, with planned stop points and route;
• Work with a risk-management firm and keep the screening approved by the insurer;
• Use data to identify risk patterns by route, time and profile;
• Keep an audit trail of every clearance for a fast response in case of loss.

The first barrier: knowing who drives

No escort replaces selecting the right driver. Validating the license field by field, cross-checking background and classifying the risk before loading is what prevents the most loss. Score runs this screening in real time, with a BlockList and a driver risk score, and is approved by the main transport insurers — which keeps the policy valid.

Cargo visibility, from start to finish

Reducing theft also means seeing the cargo in motion. With end-to-end tracking and management — from the port and the airport to delivery — the operation reacts faster to any diversion. That is what the Club Cargo ecosystem delivers to those who need full control of the goods.

By combining careful driver selection and cargo visibility, theft stops being an inevitability and becomes a managed risk — with fewer losses and insurance kept valid.