Britain's road haulage industry is facing an unprecedented assault from sophisticated criminal networks who are buying transport companies using stolen identities to orchestrate brazen thefts of high-value goods.
The Dead Man's Identity Scam
In one of the most audacious schemes uncovered, criminals used the details of a deceased man to purchase multiple haulage firms. Ionut Calin, who died in November 2024, had his identity fraudulently used months after his death to register companies at Companies House and open bank accounts.
One such company, Zus Transport, was hired as a subcontractor by an unsuspecting Midlands transport company. The criminals, posing as legitimate truckers, collected a consignment worth £75,000 using fake number plates before disappearing with the entire load.
The true owner behind the operation was identified as Benjamin Mustata, known as 'Benny'. When confronted by BBC investigators outside a Coventry car showroom, Mustata admitted buying Zus Transport but claimed he did so for a relative and denied involvement in the theft.
Skyrocketing Freight Crime Statistics
This sophisticated identity theft represents just one method in an escalating crisis facing the logistics sector. Freight crime has surged from £68 million in 2023 to a staggering £111 million last year, with police admitting the true figure is likely much higher.
Richard Smith, Managing Director of the Road Haulage Association, told the Daily Mail: "Our industry is under attack. We hear it every day from road freight businesses; anything from clothing and electrical goods to food, alcohol, and perfumes are prey for highly organised criminal gangs."
Other brazen tactics captured on camera include:
- Breaking into stationary vehicles stuck in traffic in broad daylight
- Cutting locks to enter depots and stealing entire trailers
- Raiding lorries while drivers make deliveries
- Stealing shipments from trucks while drivers sleep in their cabs overnight
Industry and Police Response
Deputy Chief Constable Jayne Meir, the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for freight crime, confirmed that freight crime is becoming "more sophisticated and more organised". A new team within Opal, the police intelligence unit tackling organised acquisitive crime, will begin targeting the issue next year.
Meanwhile, haulage business owners describe the devastating impact. One business owner, Alison, revealed: "We're going home at night and we're not sleeping. Haulage businesses don't make a lot of money and it only takes something like this and you're out of business."
The consequences extend beyond individual businesses, with experts warning that British consumers will ultimately bear the cost through rising prices as thefts drive up insurance premiums and operational costs across the supply chain.
