Organized theft groups — coordinated networks that steal large quantities of retail goods or hijack cargo shipments — have been growing in scope and severity, with cargo theft alone up 27% in 2024 and average losses exceeding $200,000 per incident. This bill would strengthen federal law enforcement's ability to investigate and prosecute these networks. It would amend the federal criminal code to bring interstate cargo theft and the trafficking of stolen goods under the same forfeiture and money-laundering rules that already apply to other serious property crimes, and would let prosecutors aggregate multiple thefts of $5,000 or more over a 12-month period to meet federal jurisdictional thresholds. The bill also establishes a new Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center within the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate federal investigations, share intelligence with state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and partner with retailers and transportation companies on investigations. The Center would issue annual public reports on theft trends and would automatically sunset after seven years unless Congress renews its authority. The bill is bipartisan, sponsored by Sen. Grassley with 14 cosponsors from both parties.
Criminal Justice & Due Process
- Federal asset forfeiture scope — Extended to interstate cargo theft (§659) and stolen-goods trafficking (§§2314, 2315)
- Money laundering predicate offenses — Cargo theft and stolen-goods trafficking added to triggering crimes under §1956
- Federal jurisdictional aggregation — Prosecutors may combine multiple thefts of $5K+ over 12 months to meet federal thresholds
Transparency & Accountability
- DHS coordination center for organized retail crime — New federal center established with annual public reporting on theft trends
- Coordination center sunset — Authority terminates 7 years after establishment unless Congress reauthorizes
Congressional Summary
Combating Organized Retail Crime ActThis bill expands federal enforcement of criminal offenses related to organized retail and supply chain crime. The term organized retail and supply chain crime includes criminal offenses involving the interstate transportation of stolen property, the sale or receipt of stolen goods, or theft from an interstate or foreign shipment that is committed by, in coordination with, or at the instruction of an organization.First, with respect to criminal offenses involving the interstate transportation of stolen property or the sale or receipt of stolen goods, the bill broadens the scope of conduct that qualifies as offenses by allowing prosecutions to be based on the aggregate value of stolen items over a 12-month period. Additionally, the bill makes the offenses predicate offenses (i.e., underlying offenses) for prosecutions under the federal money laundering statute and authorizes the criminal forfeiture of any property obtained from the proceeds of an offense.Second, with respect to criminal offenses involving theft from an interstate or foreign shipment, the bill also makes an offense an underlying offense for prosecution under the federal money laundering statute and authorizes the criminal forfeiture of any associated property.Third, the bill expands the federal money laundering statute to include offenses involving general-use prepaid cards, gift certificates, or store gift cards.Finally, the bill temporarily establishes a center within the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate federal law enforcement activities related to organized retail and supply chain crime.
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in Senate
- Action Date
- 2025-04-10
- Date Added
- 2026-05-02
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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