We often hear from the major logistics service providers about how good their tracking services are, and, in fact, they are pretty good. But what they do not provide is a genuine chain-of-custody system even though some claim to do so. They cannot provide that beneficial service because of two essential reasons. First, their shipping containers are not sealed and monitored for access from origin to destination, and second, the signature of the person who verifies the cargo and its quantity and seals the container is not present. Without the identity of the person and the person's signature attesting to the contents, there cannot be a chain of custody, but only a system of tracking. The distinction is extremely important with respect to the global supply chain and its use in the distribution of counterfeit products, drugs, and even weapons of mass destruction.
