Download Serious and organised Crime

Serious and organised Crime
What is SAOC?
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involves more than one person,
is organised, meaning that it involves control,
planning and use of specialist resources,
causes, or has the potential to cause,
significant harm,
involves benefit to the individual concerned,
particularly financial gain.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill
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“Serious organised crime hurts our
country in terms of public safety, the
economy, and jobs. We need a
coordinated approach to ensure the
whole country stands up against it – on
the streets, within our communities, in
civic society, and in the wider economy.
(June 2009)
What Kinds of crime?
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Drugs
Fraud
Human Trafficking
People smuggling
Money laundering
Identity crime
Firearms
Vehicle crime
Intellectual property crime
Counterfeit currency
Kidnap and extortion
Extent of SAOC* in Scotland.
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Scotland has 367 organised groups
Approx 4000 people involved
The “top 20” groups are active in all police regions
Over ½ of the groups are involved in multiple crime
9 out of 10 are involved in drug crime
Over ½ have access to firearms
241 “specialists”, such as crooked lawyers and
accountants, were linked to the organised crime
groups.
* Serious and Organised Crime
Task force 2009
Responses in Scotland
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Setting up of SAOC Task Force – coordinates all
agencies involved in crime.
The 4 ‘Ds’:
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DIVERT – individuals (particularly young people) from
engaging in or using the products of serious organised
crime.
DISRUPT – the activities of serious organised crime groups.
DETER– through measures to protect communities,
businesses and the public sector from serious organised
crime.
DETECT– by boosting capacity and improving co-ordination
to give serious organised criminals no place to hide.
The Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA)
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Creates the Assets Recovery Agency, now the Serious
Organised Crime Agency (SOCA)
Introduces a new power of civil recovery to allow the
government to recover – by a civil action in the high court – the
proceeds of criminal activity.
Introduces powers for the police and customs to seize cash
they believe is crime related
Enables courts to freeze a suspect's assets at the start of a
criminal investigation.
Allows the courts to make assumptions in non-drugs cases
that all of a defendant's assets represent the proceeds of
crime.
Allows investigators to seek court orders requiring financial
institutions and banks to identify all accounts of people
under investigation
Links
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Serious and Organised Crime Agency
Scottish Government – tackling serious and
organised crime