“Last Mile” Pharmaceutical Cargo Theft Thwarted

May 10, 2010. Austin, TX – In the wake of recent high profile pharmaceutical cargo thefts, FreightWatch International, the leading global logistics security solutions provider, reports the full recovery of the product.

“Recoveries such as this demonstrate that covert tracking and logistics security solutions work to protect assets and prevent cargo theft,” stated Barry Conlon, CEO of FreightWatch. “In the case of pharmaceutical products, not only is the cost of theft and recovery high, but the impact on the consumer can be devastating if product gets into the hands of a criminal.”

The product retailer had chosen to track its pharmaceutical loads using the most advanced covert tracking device on the market, the FreightWatch Geo F1 Tracker. Two F1 Trackers were embedded in pill bottles. One of the devices was observed pinging as it moved away from the companion device reporting in the retailer’s store parking lot, and outside of the company’s standard operating procedures. This prompted an investigation by corporate and onsite security, leading to both a full recovery of the product as well as an arrest.

The Geo F1 Tracker, powered by Qualcomm’s inGeo™ platform, is the smallest wireless covert tracking device available. Slightly longer than the length of a large paperclip, the Geo F1 Tracker has a real-time active reporting capability with web-based monitoring functionality, pinging continual information about its location. It uses a combination of GPS and cellular signals, works outdoors, indoors and through secure containers.

The inGeo is a trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated.

FreightWatch International (www.freightwatchintl.com) offers an array of customized logistics security solutions designed to prevent cargo theft at every point in the supply chain. FreightWatch International services include electronic freight security, 24/7 monitoring, security escorts, cargo assessments and intelligence, and end-to-end logistics security solutions. With these solutions, FreightWatch prevents logistics thefts and losses, ensures time-to-market, and protects corporate brands, proactively preventing the loss of high-value, at-risk products through theft or damage.