Logistics companies smarten up to combat crime

A 2025 report by the Global Initiative Against Crime has identified the greater East Africa region as a global hotspot for transnational organised crime, functioning both as a source of illicit markets and as a strategic transit hub, according to Alfred Eket, research fellow at the Mashariki Research and Policy Centre. According to the 2025 Africa Organised Crime Index, East Africa recorded the largest continental increase in criminal activity between 2019 and 2025. Kenya, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Madagascar and Djibouti face interconnected threats from terrorism, human trafficking, illicit trade in minerals, drugs and other commodities, and environmental crimes, according to Eket. Groups such as Al-Shabaab, Mungiki and M23 perpetrate killings, violence, property destruction and systematic looting, severely undermining governance, social cohesion and economic stability, he adds. The 2025 Africa Organised Crime Index states that Africa’s position within the global criminal economy has been shaped by infrastructure, ports, transport networks, social and political systems, financial networks and limited law enforcement capacity. “At the same time, measures aimed at driving economic development and increasing trade between Africa and the rest of the world (expansion of containerisation, advancements in transport infrastructure and free trade agreements) have provided opportunities for criminal organisations,” it adds. Numerous studies have found that organised crime in East Africa is entrenched and fuelled by the complicity of state actors, including security personnel, bureaucrats, political elites and intermediaries who exploit power for private gain. A United Nations Development Programme found that “political– criminal networks consolidate power within state structures, eroding the rule of law, corroding public trust and undermining regional security, transforming organised crime into a systemic governance challenge”, according to Eket. Logistics companies operating along East African transport routes are moving beyond basic tracking to a “multi-layered” security strategy. This includes using AI-powered dashcams to detect loitering, unauthorised access or suspicious driver behaviour in real time, electronic cargo tracking systems and smart door and cargo sensors. Silent panic buttons have been installed in cabs, with fleet owners able to remotely immobilise vehicles. High-value goods are protected by armed and unarmed escorts and there is reported to be an increased use of hard-sided and armoured vehicles to protect cargo and drivers against hijackings and civil unrest. Early warnings are provided through the Transported Asset Protection Association (Tapa EMEA), which is growing its African footprint. It tracks cargo thefts and networks throughout Africa and Europe. ER