Investigators and risk specialists warn that organized crime is building an AI hardware cargo theft economy—hijacking data center supply chains and selling stolen equipment through black markets. The story cites supply-chain risk management firm Overhaul and describes recovered shipments tied to stolen data center infrastructure and copper wiring used in transmission and cooling. As AI infrastructure spending expands, experts say the theft economics have become unusually attractive for criminal actors. Higher education’s relevance is practical: campuses and research institutes are major purchasers of computing and networking equipment for labs, AI programs, and cloud migrations. The threat underscores the need for tighter procurement controls, vendor due diligence, and cybersecurity-adjacent supply chain risk management.