Organized crime is building an AI hardware cargo theft economy: ‘The economics have become just crazy from the criminal opportunistic perspective’

Organized crime is exploiting AI hardware supply chains through cargo theft, driven by soaring demand for data center infrastructure. Stolen equipment, including servers and copper wires, is resold on foreign black markets, with recent recoveries totaling $1.3 million in Illinois. Cargo theft involving electronics has surged, with AI-related components becoming prime targets due to their high value and ease of resale.