HARRISBURG — More than 70 leaders from Pennsylvania’s law enforcement and business communities came together this week to share intelligence and best practices to combat the rising tide of black-market trade.

Hosted by United to Safeguard America from Illegal Trade (USA-IT), public and private sector experts gathered for a training session and panel discussion on illegal trade — including counterfeiting, smuggling, organized retail theft and drug and human trafficking — and the impact Pennsylvania residents are experiencing.

The event featured experts in law enforcement, anti-illegal trade efforts, supply chain management and national security. Participants were provided a comprehensive assessment of illegal trade and its links to other crimes, as well as a training on best practices for countering these converging security issues.

“The leaders who attended today’s statewide virtual meeting received in-depth knowledge from statewide and national experts on helping to curb illegal trade,” said Beth Seals, General Counsel of Zippo Manufacturing Company in Bradford. “From our perspective, this issue is top-of-mind, and we need strong partnerships between the private and public sectors to combat it. Illegal trade is not a victimless crime. It can create public safety issues, harms consumer expectations, inhibits business development and growth, threatens our communities and families and hurts all Pennsylvanians. By working together through USA- IT, we are making a concerted effort to push back against the costly, dangerous illicit market.”

“We need a united front to stop black-market criminality in Pennsylvania,” said Scott Bohn, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association and USA-IT member. “The best way to put a halt to illicit trade in Pa. and across the country is for law enforcement, the business community and other leaders to work together, sharing information and expertise. By doing so, we have more eyes on the problem and more ways to root it out and stop it.” Illegal trade fuels a $2.2 trillion-per-year industry of transnational crime and directly impacts communities across the Commonwealth:

In 2016, Pa. ranked 2nd in the country for reports of heroin usage and third for reports of Fentanyl with 17,222 and 3,173 reports, respectively.

Ports in Philadelphia, Erie and Pittsburgh facilitate the transport of commodities into and through Pa., providing drug traffickers with another method for smuggling drugs into the state.

Total revenue lost due to tobacco smuggling in Pa.: $178 million.

The pervasive threat of illegal trade and black-market profiteering is especially timely during the upcoming holiday season amid supply shortages and the increase of e-commerce, as millions of shoppers take to online marketplaces to buy gifts for family and friends.

Far too often, unsuspecting consumers fall victim to nefarious actors looking to peddle counterfeit and stolen goods, putting consumers’ health in danger and harming legitimate businesses and ultimately, taxpayers.

In 2021, USA-IT trained more than 1,200 law enforcement agents from various agencies and departments across the country.

“Today’s event is just one of many ways we are focusing our collective efforts to combat the shadowy web of criminal networks engaged in illegal trade and illicit economies,” said Hernan Albamonte, head of Illicit Trade Prevention U.S. for Philip Morris International. “Together, we are exposing the hidden costs and consequences of this crime, and working to ensure a safer, more secure, and more prosperous future.”

The diverse membership of USA-IT partners in Pennsylvania includes: the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association, Pennsylvania Chamber of Business & Industry, Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association, Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association, Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association and the Pennsylvania Retailers’ Association.