Starbucks Corp. announced Wednesday it will install high-tech sensors to detect tampering with its cargo containers filled with coffee beans shipped from Guatemala to Europe or the United States.
Starbucks, the world’s leading coffee retailer, had participated in an ongoing study by the Homeland Security Department that warned such containers can be opened secretly during shipment to add or remove items without alerting authorities.
The $75 million, three-year study, called “Operation Safe Commerce,” said such risks could allow terrorists to smuggle weapons of mass destruction into the United States. The study is considered “sensitive security information
We’re always pleased to learn that Homeland Insecurity has their priorities together.
Is this why it costs five bucks for a cup of coffee at starbucks, to fund electronic coffee bean tags? After overcharging all these years they could afford to put a leopard in each container.
From what I know on the subject, coffee grounds are an easy way to mask other items in transit. This is probably a good move.
$75 million? I can come up with a couple of ideas for securing cargo for $10 million!
Congratulations to Starbucks! They are one of the few organizations that actually give a rat’s ass about more than just the bottom line…
Consdering the high price of the ingredient water at Starbucks, I’m not surprised they can afford to do this.
– precision blogger
Give me 1 million and I know a GREAt way to secure the cargo…
Use an internal balloon to seal the cargo container to either pressureise or Vaccum the material, any opening would cause the balloon to burst and not be refillable..
Most of that $75 million went to consultants. Many of them used to work on Capitol hill or their spouses still hold office there.