A new drive to crack down on all forms of serious and organised
crime will begin today with the launch of a wide-ranging formal
review.
It will look to identify ways of bolstering the response to
threats such as county lines, people trafficking, drugs, child
sexual exploitation, fraud and illicit finance.
According to the National Crime Agency (NCA), which is the lead
law enforcement agency for tackling this threat, there are more
than 4,500 serious and organised crime groups in the UK and this
type of crime costs the economy an estimated £37 billion a year.
These criminals exploit the most vulnerable people in society for
their own financial gain, from victims of modern slavery and
human trafficking to young people suffering sexual exploitation
and abuse.
The review – the first of its type to look at the full spectrum
of serious and organised crime - will be led by Sir Craig Mackey
QPM, former deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, with
support from stakeholders and advisors from law enforcement and
national security.
The review will consider the powers, capabilities, governance and
funding required to tackle today’s threats across law enforcement
and the justice system in England and Wales - including the NCA,
local police forces and regional organised crime units.
Sir Craig will deliver the report to , Minister for Security, in
Spring 2020. His recommendations will cover the status, roles and
responsibilities of the NCA, regional organised crime units, and
other national agencies pursuing serious criminality, along with
local police forces in England and Wales, to ensure they have the
right governance, support and legal powers to deliver on their
missions.
Home Secretary said:
“This review will help strengthen our response to these sickening
crimes, building on the existing success of the NCA.
“The threat is growing, and offenders are becoming more
sophisticated. Serious and organised criminals exploit children
and ruthlessly target the most vulnerable in our society, ruining
lives and blighting communities.
“We are committed to tackling crime and keeping our streets safe
and I’m glad Sir Craig will bring his significant expertise and
experience to this review, which will help ensure our system is
fit for the modern world.”
Minister for Security said:
“This ambitious review will ensure that the NCA and the police
have the right tools, leadership and funding to improve our
national response to serious and organised crime.
“This is a complex problem. Fraudsters, county lines gangs and
child abusers all prey on the vulnerable and we must do more to
tackle these nefarious activities. The NCA and police have my
full and continued support in the excellent work that they do to
combat these evildoers.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer, , said:
“Serious and organised crime is a growing, sophisticated threat
we are determined to tackle by bolstering our response.
“In addition, I was proud to fund the first of our 20,000 new
police officers at the Spending Round to help keep the public
safe.”
The review will support the implementation of the Serious and
Organised Crime Strategy, published in November 2018, which sets
out measures to build the UK’s defences against this type of
crime, track down the most dangerous and determined criminals and
bring them to justice.
A total of £90 million was allocated from the police funding
settlement over the course of 2019-20 to build capabilities at
national, regional and local levels to tackle serious and
organised crime. An additional £30m of new funding is helping to
tackle child sexual exploitation. Meanwhile, 20,000 new police
officers are being recruited to help make our streets safer.
Sir Craig Mackey said:
“Serious and organised crime includes some of the worst offences
that people can perpetrate against each other and corrodes our
communities.
“It is a privilege to be asked by the Government to consider how
we might improve the response to this.
“I am looking forward to engaging with the professionals across
the system who work tirelessly to keep us safe from these
criminals to understand how we might enable them to do even more
to protect the public and bring criminals to justice.”
Notes to editors
Sir Craig began his police career in 1984 with Wiltshire
Constabulary, moving next to Gloucestershire Constabulary as
Assistant and subsequently Deputy Chief Constable and then Chief
Constable of Cumbria. His career culminated in a six-year tenure
as Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, from
which he retired in 2018.
