President Obama has directed the Department of State and Homeland Security to come up with a plan to protect the US supply chain.

An organized gang is suspected in a theft of a trailer full of a couple of million dollars worth of consumer oriented electronics which are easy to resell and hard to trace. There are vulnerabilities all along the supply chain, including truck rest stops.

Business continuity is the strategic and tactical capability of an organization to plan for and respond to business interruption in a way that allows them to continue business operations at an acceptable, defined level. 

The risk of counterfeit electronics being used in military equipment has prompted a congressional investigation.

In December 2010, the Puerto Rico Ports Authority (PRPA) issued a proposed regulation that would require all inbound cargo containers, regardless of whether the container was shipped from a company located in the United States or from a company located in a foreign country, to be scanned for contraband.  If enacted, the proposed scanning regulation would increase costs and result in supply chain delays.  The cost would range from $58 to $70 per container (depending on the size of the container).  

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today announced a new partnership with the World Customs Organization (WCO) to enlist other nations, international bodies and the private sector in increasing the security of the global supply chain—outlining a series of new initiatives to make the system stronger, smarter and more resilient.

It’s a telling case: a few years ago, members of two criminal organizations in California were charged for their role in a large-scale fencing operation to buy and sell over-the-counter health and beauty products—as well as other items like camera film, batteries, and infant formula—that had been stolen from major retail chain stores. The merchandise was then passed off to crooked out-of-state wholesale distributors, who just sold it back to unsuspecting retailers.

The Coast Guard changed its security regulations for cruise ships in San Diego, two days before the first ship is set to dock at Broadway Pier’s new terminal.

The U.S. Homeland Security Department in 2010 identified a terrorist plan to contaminate salad bars and buffets at restaurants and hotels with lethal materials, CBS News reported.