US forwarders are urging the House of Representatives to adopt the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA) to help tackle organised crime.
The Airforwarders Association is calling for the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act to be incorporated into the final FY2027 National Defense Authorization Act, seeking stronger federal coordination and improved intelligence sharing to combat organised cargo theft and freight fraud.
US air freight forwarders are pressing lawmakers to strengthen the country’s response to organised cargo crime, urging Congress to advance legislation aimed at improving cooperation between law enforcement agencies and the private sector.
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The Airforwarders Association (AfA) is calling on the US House of Representatives to include the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA) in the final Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The appeal comes as Congress resumes legislative business following the midterm elections.
At the centre of the proposed legislation is the establishment of an Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center within Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The proposed centre would strengthen information sharing and coordination among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, while creating closer links with private-sector organisations.
The initiative is intended to address the growing challenges posed by criminal networks operating across state lines and exploiting gaps in jurisdictional coordination. For freight forwarders, these activities increasingly involve sophisticated cargo theft schemes, fraudulent collection of shipments, carrier impersonation and identity fraud.
The NDAA is an annual piece of legislation that establishes US defence and spending priorities. It also provides an opportunity for lawmakers to advance other measures that have secured bipartisan support.
According to the association, incorporating CORCA into the final NDAA would provide law enforcement with stronger tools to investigate organised criminal activity and help legitimate businesses work more effectively with government agencies.
Bipartisan Support for Legislation
CORCA has already secured substantial bipartisan backing in the House, passing by 348 votes to 60 in May 2026. The AfA believes this support should now translate into legislative action through its inclusion in the final FY2027 NDAA.
AfA Chief Executive Officer Steve Smith said Congress had demonstrated strong bipartisan commitment to addressing organised cargo crime, adding that the priority was now to turn that support into law.
He highlighted the challenges facing freight forwarders as organised criminal networks increasingly operate across state boundaries, exploiting differences in enforcement and information-sharing between jurisdictions.
The association has been taking concerns raised by its members directly to congressional representatives over the past year, while supporting broader industry efforts to strengthen the response to cargo theft and freight fraud.
Industry Calls for Stronger Coordination
The AfA’s Cargo Theft Committee is also playing an important role in the initiative, bringing industry participants together to exchange intelligence, identify operational vulnerabilities and develop practical measures to prevent criminal activity.
David King of AB&M Logistics, chair of the committee, said freight forwarders were witnessing increasingly sophisticated criminal operations that were becoming more difficult to investigate when incidents crossed jurisdictional boundaries.
He emphasised that although the industry could contribute valuable operational intelligence, effective enforcement required government agencies to have the ability to coordinate and act on that information.
The proposed legislation could provide the industry with a stronger federal partner by improving cooperation between investigators and legitimate supply chain businesses.
For the US air cargo sector, the campaign highlights a growing recognition that cargo security extends beyond airport screening and physical protection. Preventing fraudulent collections, verifying carrier identities and connecting intelligence across the wider logistics network are becoming equally important to protecting freight movements.
The AfA has indicated that it will continue engaging with lawmakers from both parties and industry coalition partners as Congress considers the final FY2027 NDAA.
