🔗 Share this article

Criminal syndicates are allegedly purchasing established haulage businesses to masquerade as legitimate truckers and systematically steal valuable shipments, based on recent investigations.

Evidence has surfaced indicating that several haulage operations were acquired using decedent persons' identifying information, enabling criminals to create bogus commercial structures.

Sophisticated Deception Scheme

One haulage firm was subsequently contracted as a third-party provider by an unaware UK transport company. Manufacturers then filled one of the subcontractor's vehicles with merchandise that subsequently vanished entirely.

Alison, who operates a central England haulage company that was targeted by the bogus contractors, described the circumstances as "incredible" that "organized groups can infiltrate companies so blatantly".

"Consumers need to care because it affects your finances," commented John Redfern, formerly a security director for a major retail chain.

Increasing Cargo Crime Statistics

This audacious method constitutes just one of numerous methods criminals are targeting haulage companies that deliver commercial inventory and other materials across the nation, with freight criminal activity in the UK rising to £111m last year from £68 million in 2023.

Recorded video demonstrates criminals raiding trucks during deliveries, breaking into transport while stopped in traffic, removing locks and entering warehouses, and taking complete containers packed with merchandise.

Driver Accounts

Operators, who frequently need to stop and rest overnight in their cabs, have reported awakening to find the covered sides of their lorries cut by thieves attempting to reach the cargo inside, with consignments of designer apparel, alcohol and electronics among the most common targets.

Organized Action

Law enforcement agencies have indicated that cargo crime is becoming "increasingly advanced, more organized" and stressed that police forces need to work with the sector to tackle the issue.

Deception affecting hauliers - including criminals using bogus haulage businesses - is rising in the UK, according to official reports.

"Our industry is under attack," says an industry representative, executive officer of a prominent road haulage association.

Intricate Investigation

This fraud operation appears to mirror a pattern previously observed in mainland Europe, where "legitimate haulage companies on the verge of bankruptcy" are acquired by coordinated criminal groups who collect several cargoes "and then disappear".

Following the victimization of the business owner's company, investigating personnel informed her that authorities were also examining similar incidents in other regions of the UK.

Specific Incident

The haulage business, which transports millions of currency throughout the country each year, had subcontracted to a smaller haulage company for a assignment previously this year.

"The coverage was in place, their business licence was in place," she says. "The situation looked great." The lorry arrived at the production facility, loading equipment loaded it with DIY products and the lorry departed, she reports.

However unbeknownst to Alison and the producers, the lorry had been using fake number plates. It vanished with the shipment worth at £75,000.

"Initial awareness we had about it was the destination company called us and asked, 'where is our load disappeared to?'" Alison says. She attempted to contact the subcontractor, but the number had been deactivated.

Personal Fraud Element

Therefore who had appropriated the goods? Researchers followed a complex path to attempt to establish the answer, including a deceased man's identity, a unknown Eastern European woman and a £150k luxury vehicle.

The company Alison hired was named Zus Transport. A month before the incident, it had been sold by its previous owners - with zero indication they were involved in any wrongdoing.

Research revealed that the takeover was financed by a electronic payment from a entity owned by a UK-based Eastern European transport operator named Ionut Calin, who used his second name Robert.

Investigators identified a network of multiple haulage businesses, comprising Zus Transport, seemingly purchased by Mr Calin this year.

However Mr Calin had died in November 2024, confirmed with government sources. This was months prior to his bank information had been utilized to purchase several of the businesses and his name used to establish three of them at official company records.

Additional Examination

Exists no basis to suspect he was participating in crime, and numerous people on online platforms paid tribute to him as a good person who helped others in the sector.

The former proprietors of several of the haulage companies indicated they had dealt not with Mr Calin, but with a individual called "Benny".

Investigators located him by investigating the registered officer of Zus Transport listed in official documents, a Eastern European woman. Information about her is scarce, but a contact details for her was located. When checked in communication applications, it showed a profile picture of a young woman, with a alternative name, in a luxury automobile.

The profile image helped in recognizing her as a relative of Mr Calin, and the wife of a individual called Benjamin Mustata. Mr Mustata and his spouse had posed for a image when taking delivery of a high-end automobile from a dealership in April, a seven days following the incident targeting the business owner's enterprise.

Encounter

When shown images from online platforms of the individual to a former proprietor of one of the haulage companies, he recognized him as "the pseudonym" - the man he had encountered face-to-face to negotiate the transfer of the business.

A phone number