The Scottish Government

« Previous | Contents | Next »

Listen

FOREWORD

1. Serious organised crime causes devastating harm to our communities. Members of organised crime groups are ruthless and selfish. They do not care about the misery they bring to people's lives through violence, crime and addiction - often to those who live in our hardest hit communities.

2. Every community is affected, and the problem is global. Drugs and prostitution affect every area of Scotland. There were 455 drug-related deaths in 2007 - the highest ever ¹ - and the social and economic costs of drug misuse are estimated to be over £2.6 billion a year. ² Fraud and counterfeiting drive up prices and insurance costs for hard-pressed families, and help to fund other activities like illegal firearms trading, violence and drug dealing. The cost of fraud to every man, woman and child in Scotland is estimated to be £330 per year, ³ and much of this fraud is carried out by serious organised crime groups.

3. Serious organised criminals make money at the expense of hard working, law abiding people, undermining legitimate businesses, potentially distorting democracy and threatening the fabric of our communities.

4. Our vision is of a more successful Scotland, with opportunities for all of our communities to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth. Police, the other law enforcement agencies, local authorities, businesses and individuals, all have a role to play in helping to deliver this vision by rooting out the scourge of serious organised crime. It is what the people of Scotland want, what they deserve, and what we must deliver.

5. This first Scottish strategy on serious organised crime sets out how we plan to do this.

Kenny MacAskill, MSP,
Chair of the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce

On behalf of the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce which includes: the Scottish Government, the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency, the Serious Organised Crime Agency, the Scottish Prison Service and HM Revenue and Customs

WHAT IS SERIOUS ORGANISED CRIME?

6. For the purposes of this strategy, serious organised crime is used to mean crime which:

• 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.

7. At this moment in time, we assess there are a minimum of 360 serious organised crime groups operating in Scotland . These groups vary in size and complexity over time and engage in a wide range of criminal activities, including:

• Drugs. This remains the single largest activity of serious organised crime groups in Scotland. Behind that fact lies the enormous tragedy and wasted human potential of those lost to drug addiction, and the painful effects on their families and communities.
• Violence. Serious organised criminals often resort to violence and intimidation. This can include firearms, kidnap, extortion, armed robbery and the use of fear and intimidation to protect their criminal enterprise.
• Fraud. Serious organised crime groups use fraud to increase their profits and mortgage fraud is used to launder profits from prostitution, drug and human trafficking . Fiscal fraud, or fraud against government, reduces the money available to fund vital services like schools, hospitals and police on the streets. Cigarette smuggling alone cost the UK Treasury between £1.1 and £2.2 billion in 2006-07.
• Money laundering. Legitimate businesses are used as a front for the activities of serious organised crime, reducing tax revenues, undermining legitimate business and allowing criminals to profit from their illegal and harmful activities.
• Human trafficking. Evidence is limited, but we do know that at least 79 individuals were thought to be human trafficking victims in Scotland in the year to March 2008 . Almost two thirds were women trafficked into sexual exploitation.

8. The type of criminal activity committed by serious organised criminals is secondary to their overriding priority - to derive power and profit at any cost to society.

TRENDS AND CONTEXT

9. We live in an increasingly global world. Business is no longer constrained by geographical and political borders. This allows legitimate business to grow and flourish. But this also allows the activities of criminals to become increasingly global and sophisticated. Criminal networks operate in many different countries with many spheres of interest and as they become more fluid, the inter-relationship between crimes has increased and criminals may deal in a number of commodities, whether it is drugs, contraband or people. It is therefore no longer possible to compartmentalise these criminals as 'drug dealers' or 'tobacco smugglers'. Commodities become irrelevant as the organisations are able to adapt quickly and relatively easily to deal in whatever commodity is the most lucrative at a given time.

WE ALL HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY

10. To provide a strategic focus for tackling serious organised crime and to ensure co ordinated and targeted action, the Scottish Government established the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce. The Taskforce brings together all the major Scottish and UK agencies directly involved in tackling serious organised crime - the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service ( COPFS), the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland ( ACPOS), the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency ( SCDEA), the Serious Organised Crime Agency ( SOCA), Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs ( HMRC), and the Scottish Prison Service ( SPS).

11. However, the Taskforce recognises that this is only part of the solution. All public agencies, businesses, and individuals have a part to play in combating demand for the products of serious organised crime and providing positive alternatives, particularly for our young people. Fake goods, smuggled cigarettes, illegal drugs - these items are on sale in communities across Scotland. We need to make the link between buying these goods and the dangerous criminals they fund.

VISION

12. Our vision is of a more successful Scotland, with opportunities for all of our communities to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth.

AIM

13. Our aim is to reduce the harm caused by serious organised crime, and to make Scotland a hostile environment for serious organised criminals.

OBJECTIVES

14. Serious organised crime blights our communities and must be tackled head on if we are to work towards our vision of flourishing communities, economic growth and success. In order to do this, we will focus on four objectives:

• 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.

15. In order to deliver those objectives we will focus on two key themes:

• Getting the message out; and,
• Going beyond law enforcement - involving business, local authorities and communities.

16. This strategy is only the start. It sets out a number of key actions. It will be underpinned by a detailed implementation plan.

DIVERT

OBJECTIVE: TO DIVERT INDIVIDUALS (PARTICULARLY YOUNG PEOPLE) FROM ENGAGING IN OR USING THE PRODUCTS OF SERIOUS ORGANISED CRIME

17. Young people see television and film images of serious organised criminals and their lavish lifestyles. They also notice people in their neighbourhoods who may have never worked a day in their lives but can still afford top of the range cars and expensive clothes and jewellery. This creates the illusion that serious organised crime is glamorous. However, there is nothing glamorous about stealing from family and friends to fund a drug addiction, or trafficking a young woman into Scotland for the purposes of prostitution. Far from being a victimless crime, counterfeit products can be unsafe and help fund other forms of serious organised crime like drugs and guns. We will do more to get these messages across.

18. We will continue to provide positive alternatives for our young people to divert them away from crime. Through the Scottish Government's "Cashback for Communities" programme, we will use money recovered from criminals to build on the £11 million already invested in a range of community projects.

19. In order to achieve this objective we will work with a wide range of stakeholders to:

• Intensify activity to provide young people with the cold facts about drugs.
• Provide positive alternatives for young people using Cashback for Communities.
• Challenge unhealthy role models.
• Target groups of consumers to reduce the demand for the products of serious organised crime.
• Create a Communications Group to take a fresh look at communications work to raise awareness and reduce demand.

THE HUMAN COST OF SERIOUS ORGANISED CRIME - EMMA'S STORY

Emma Caldwell was a bright and happy girl who was devoted to horse-riding, visiting stables in her spare time and later working as a stable manager. When she was a stable manager she was offered drugs by a friend who gave her misguided information that the effects would help her overcome the loss of her sister, Karen, to cancer. Emma quickly became hooked on heroin. Tragically, Emma entered into prostitution to pay for her habit and was murdered in 2005.

Emma was raised in a happy and supportive family environment. Her parents, Margaret and William, watched drugs destroy their daughter. They want to ensure that other families are spared the anguish they suffered. Through this strategy we are seeking to stop serious organised criminals from profiting from the misery they peddle in our communities.

PROVIDING YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THE COLD FACTS ABOUT DRUGS

20. An estimated 52,000 people are problem drug users in Scotland. Young people are a particular target for drug dealers. We will reduce the numbers of people vulnerable to drug addiction, supporting young people to choose another way.

21. Much work is already underway. Substance misuse education is well established in schools, and the Health and Wellbeing outcomes being developed under the Curriculum for Excellence will serve to support this, as well as the information campaign "Know the Score". Other activity was outlined in the Scottish Government's Drugs Strategy, "The Road to Recovery: A New approach to Tackling Scotland's Drug Problem" published in May 2008.

22. Linking to, and complementing this work, SCDEA will take forward work with young people, in partnership with education professionals to support them to make healthy and positive lifestyle choices. This includes two aspects:

• Direct engagement with young people through events like "Choices for Life" (see case study below).
• Linking to the Curriculum for Excellence to enable all of Scotland's young people to become Successful Learners, Confident Individuals, Responsible Citizens and Effective Contributors.

CHOICES FOR LIFE

Every primary seven child across Scotland has the opportunity to attend the Choices for Life production which takes the form of a two hour, multi media style concert using drama, film and quiz. The event gives information about positive lifestyle choices as well as information about illegal drugs, alcohol and smoking. Choices for Life is supported by learning materials for use in the classroom as well as the home and is designed to complement the school curriculum. Choices for Life is organised by the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency in partnership with Scottish Government, NHS Health Scotland, Learning and Teaching Scotland, Young Scot and Fast Forward.

POSITIVE ALTERNATIVES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

23. We will use money recovered from criminals to fund positive alternatives for young people. The Scottish Government's "Cashback for Communities" programme has already invested £11 million in a range of projects delivered by the Scottish Football Association, YouthLink, the Scottish Rugby Union, Arts and Business Scotland, BasketballScotland and the Sports Facilities Fund.

24. This investment builds on good work from a wide range of partners, in the public and voluntary sector which helps give young people positive alternatives. These include the Princes Trust, Young Scot, and the Violence Reduction Unit.

25. There is also much broader work to divert young people away from crime. In June 2008 the Scottish Government, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities ( COSLA), the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland ( ACPOS), Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service ( COPFS) and the Scottish Children's Reporters Administration ( SCRA) signed up to a Youth Justice Framework to take forward work to reduce offending and to support young people to make positive choices about their future.

CHALLENGING UNHEALTHY ROLE MODELS

26. More than a third of those involved in serious organised crime in Scotland are in the 15-29 age range. Young people are vulnerable to being impressed by criminals who flaunt visible trappings of wealth gained through serious organised crime. It is vital that we make it clear that crime does not pay. That is why we will act to improve effectiveness in seizing criminals' assets, and work to publicise successful seizures, confiscation of criminal profits and prosecutions.

CONSUMERS

27. Most consumers do not see a link between counterfeiting and other types of organised crime. Awareness of the issue is very low, and so this strategy proposes some very targeted work with specific groups to start to make a change. Two examples of recent campaigns are:

• Highlighting the environmental damage of cocaine.

Cocaine is seen as the drug of choice for successful, professional people. However most are unaware of the environmental impact of cocaine. SCDEA are working with the government of Columbia and their Shared Responsibility programme, to highlight the devastating damage caused to the rainforest by illegal coca plantations. Communications work is being developed to get the message across through women's magazines and other media.

• Raising awareness of the link between counterfeit goods and serious organised crime

Consumers are generally unaware of the link between fake designer clothes, handbags, trainers, CDs or DVDs and serious organised crime. SCDEA carried out a high profile media campaign over the 2008 festive period in Glasgow City Centre to drive home the message that buying fake goods can help fund serious organised crime.

TASKFORCE COMMUNICATIONS SUB-GROUP

28. We will create a Taskforce Communications Sub-Group to take a fresh look at existing work to change attitudes and to reduce the demand for drugs, counterfeit goods, and other products sold by serious organised criminals. The Sub-Group will develop a Taskforce Communications Strategy, which will cover all four objectives.

DISRUPT

OBJECTIVE: TO DISRUPT THE ACTIVITIES OF SERIOUS ORGANISED CRIME GROUPS

29. We aim to reduce the harm caused by serious organised crime. This means using all our resources effectively to disrupt and dismantle serious organised crime groups and activities. Serious organised crime groups are increasingly sophisticated in their methods, and the measures they use to avoid detection are increasingly complex. In order to deal with the threats faced, law enforcement agencies need to make better use of existing tools, and work together more effectively.

30. This is not just a role for law enforcement agencies. Local authorities, professional bodies and others can make a crucial difference by spotting and reporting suspicious activity, or using their own powers to help disrupt serious organised crime.

31. In order to achieve this we will:

• Work together more effectively across Scotland, the UK, and beyond, to agree tactics and enforcement for the most dangerous serious organised crime groups.
• Co-ordinate working of regulatory bodies, including local authorities, to target the most harmful serious organised crime groups.
• Improve effectiveness in seizing assets from criminals and confiscating their profits.
• Tighten existing legislation and introduce new legislation to make it harder for serious organised crime groups to operate.
• Work with professional bodies to tackle corruption.
• Develop mechanisms for lifetime management of serious organised criminals and groups.
• Ensure Scotland is fully engaged in international intelligence sharing.

WORK TOGETHER MORE EFFECTIVELY TO AGREE TACTICS AND ENFORCEMENT FOR THE MOST DANGEROUS SERIOUS ORGANISED CRIME GROUPS

32. This strategy is our first collective statement about what we are working to achieve, and what we plan to do. Reaching this common understanding and shared vision is challenging. The agencies involved in tackling serious organised crime have different roles and different priorities. Many have different geographical scopes, from individual police forces, to Scottish bodies like the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency ( SCDEA) and the COPFS, to UK-wide bodies like HM Revenue and Customs, or the Serious Organised Crime Agency. However, serious organised criminals are not interested in organisational or geographical boundaries, and we must become more joined up if we are to face the threat effectively.

33. At the strategic level, joint working is now being led at the highest level through the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce. The Taskforce is committed to working together better at all levels to tackle serious organised crime, working towards a common vision, through sharing information through the Mapping Project and a joint process for agreeing the best interventions with the most harmful criminals.

34. At tactical level, the Serious Organised Crime Group Mapping Project will deliver objective evidence about the most harmful serious organised crime groups in Scotland, in rank order. This intelligence will provide a basis for early collective agreement on the best interventions. The ongoing review and refreshing of this intelligence will be a key part of building a collective picture of the threat faced by Scotland.

35. Operationally, the different law enforcement agencies have their own mechanisms for driving enforcement action. There are some good examples of multi-agency working, but it is not consistent enough. Each agency is driven by its own priorities, and where agencies have different geographical boundaries and roles this becomes challenging.

36. Even within the police forces in Scotland there can be barriers to working across force boundaries. The Cabinet Secretary for Justice commissioned an Independent Review of Policing in Scotland to look at ensuring appropriate specialist and expert policing capability - such as the specialist covert policing and surveillance skills needed to tackle serious organised crime - are available across Scotland.

37. The Independent Review of Policing in Scotland was published on 23 January 2009 and made a number of recommendations intended to improve the management of national policing risks, which would include serious organised crime. In particular:

• Expanding the Scottish Strategic Assessment to make it more robust, and to take account of organisational risks to delivering policing.
• A new forum to bring together Chief Constables, Police Authorities and the Scottish Government to collectively agree the national policing risks, and how these should best be managed.
• A statutory duty on Chief Constables and Police Authorities to take account of national capacity and capability in making decisions.

38. The Scottish Government is currently working with policing stakeholders and COSLA to gather views on these recommendations and to formulate next steps. The Cabinet Secretary for Justice aims to announce his response to the Review to the Scottish Parliament in the summer.

CO-ORDINATE WORKING OF REGULATORY BODIES, INCLUDING LOCAL AUTHORITIES, TO TARGET THE MOST HARMFUL SERIOUS ORGANISED CRIME GROUPS

39. Serious organised crime groups have infiltrated a number of business sectors, using legitimate businesses as a front for money laundering, and increasingly immigration crime. Local authorities, the UK Border Agency, HM Revenue and Customs and the Health and Safety Executive, among other bodies, have enforcement powers which can be deployed effectively against serious organised crime in the various business enterprises they seek to use as a front for illegal activities. Those bodies also have knowledge and information which can be harnessed to improve detection.

40. Local authorities issue licenses to businesses to operate like taxi drivers, restaurants, nightclubs and pubs. They have powers as landlord and revenue collectors, as well as to enforce licensing conditions, and these can all be brought to bear in disrupting the illegal activities of serious organised crime groups. Local Authority Trading Standards officers are on the frontline in spotting counterfeit goods, but need back-up from law enforcement agencies to make the link to international gangs which supply the goods.

41. Several UK bodies such as the Serious Organised Crime Agency, the UK Border Agency, HM Revenue and Customs, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Health and Safety Executive have crucial roles to play. They can have relevant information or enforcement powers which can help disrupt serious organised crime groups. We will work together through collective agreement mechanisms where appropriate or on a case-by-case basis to ensure we use all the tools available to target serious organised crime groups.

IMPROVE EFFECTIVENESS IN SEIZING ASSETS FROM CRIMINALS AND CONFISCATING THEIR PROFITS

42. The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 ( POCA) is a very valuable tool in disrupting serious organised criminal activity. There have been many successes, but there is still more scope to use this tool to greater effect in disrupting serious organised crime groups.

43. There is currently an inspection being carried out by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and the Prosecutions Inspectorate to look at how POCA is being operated. The Inspection report and recommendation will be published shortly and will form the basis for action to improve effectiveness. The Scottish Government's Analytical Services Division has also carried out work to map the processes involved in POCA which will inform next steps in improving our ability to seize criminals' assets.

44. The Taskforce will consider the recommendations of these pieces of work, and look at ways to improve effectiveness in using POCA to disrupt and dismantle serious organised crime. This will include using some of the money seized from criminals to boost financial investigations.

TIGHTEN EXISTING LEGISLATION AND INTRODUCE NEW LEGISLATION TO MAKE IT HARDER FOR SERIOUS ORGANISED CRIMINALS TO OPERATE

45. Serious organised criminals have in the past exploited loopholes in legislation. We need to become more nimble at closing regulatory loopholes or tightening regulations to make life harder for criminals. We propose to create a Taskforce subgroup to look at the issue of regulation in more detail. Two areas where we have already acted by including provisions in the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Bill are:

• Strengthening the law on financial reporting orders; and,
• Creating new offences of directing, being involved, failing to report serious organised crime along with a statutory aggravation for offences in connection with serious organised crime.

46. We will also strengthen POCA by extending the civil recovery period, reducing the criminal benefit amount to £1,000 and extending the range of offences that constitute a criminal lifestyle.

WORK WITH PROFESSIONAL BODIES TO TACKLE CORRUPTION

47. Since the introduction of the Proceeds of Crime Act in 2002, serious organised criminals have begun to use increasingly sophisticated means to hide the profits of their illegal activities. Professionals such as accountants and solicitors may be called upon to help serious organised criminals to find ways to "legitimise" their illegal earnings. We will work with professional bodies to help them spot corruption, and find ways to ensure suspicious activity is reported to the relevant bodies.

48. Many of the laws relating to bribery and corruption date back to the late 19th century and early 20th century and we are currently looking at how to best modernise those laws to ensure they meet the needs of 21st century Scotland.

DEVELOP MECHANISMS FOR LIFETIME MANAGEMENT OF SERIOUS ORGANISED CRIMINALS

49. Serious organised criminals conduct their operations from within and outside prison, and many are at risk of offending throughout their lifetimes. We will work with the police, Scottish Prison Service and others to identify ways to manage the risk posed by offenders throughout their lifetimes, including making more effective use of existing mechanisms like Financial Reporting Orders. We will ensure that crime bosses do not continue to direct their operations from prison by cracking down on use of mobile phones in prison, making it an offence to be in possession of a mobile phone while in prison.

ENSURE SCOTLAND IS FULLY ENGAGED IN INTERNATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SHARING

50. Serious organised crime groups exploit global transport links to carry out their business. The Scottish Government and police are working closely with the UK Government, UK Borders Agency, the Serious Organised Crime Agency and others to improve information sharing to support the investigation, detection and prevention of crime. As part of this Scotland will:

• Fully participate in EU agreements to enhance data sharing, including Framework Decisions to improve information exchange about criminal convictions, intelligence, DNA, fingerprints and vehicle licensing information.
• Work with the UK Government to connect with the Schengen Information System II. This will seamlessly integrate EU wide alerts on wanted persons and objects into Scottish policing through the Police National Computer.
• Continue work on a link between the Scottish Intelligence Database and Europol's European Information System.

DETER

OBJECTIVE: TO DETER SERIOUS ORGANISED CRIME BY IMPLEMENTING MEASURES TO PROTECT COMMUNITIES, BUSINESSES AND THE PUBLIC SECTOR

51. Serious organised criminals have shown that they have the ability to infiltrate communities, businesses and legitimate structures to further their own ends. We will act to help the public sector, businesses and communities to protect themselves from becoming victims.

52. Communities suffer when serious organised crime establishes a foothold. We need to ensure that regular engagement takes place to identify local concerns and that communities feel confident to report criminality or suspicious behaviour.

53. Businesses and local authorities can be the victims of serious organised crime through illegal activities such as, theft, fraud and counterfeiting. More can be done to help organisations protect themselves and to make Scotland a more hostile environment for serious organised crime groups to operate in.

54. In order to achieve this we will:

• Introduce a new service to ensure public sector contracts do not go to companies with links to crime.
• Increase community confidence to report serious criminality or suspicious activity.
• Help businesses and local authorities to protect themselves from becoming victims of serious organised crime.
• Enhance information exchange and collaboration between law enforcement, business, local authorities and others.
• Build the evidence base on serious organised crime in Scotland.

INTRODUCE NEW SERVICE TO ENSURE PUBLIC SECTOR CONTRACTS DO NOT GO TO COMPANIES WITH LINKS TO CRIME

55. We want to allow legitimate businesses to thrive in Scotland. The public sector regularly buys services from private businesses, and we must be sure public money does not end up in the pocket of serious organised crime groups. So the SCDEA is looking to set up a new service for local authorities, health boards and other public sector agencies, to make sure they have all the information they need when spending significant amounts of public money.

INCREASE COMMUNITY CONFIDENCE TO REPORT SERIOUS CRIMINALITY OR SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

56. Communities are at the sharp end of serious organised crime activity. However, people may not report drug-dealing, prostitution or selling counterfeit goods because they are afraid. Sometimes people might believe that the authorities will not act to tackle the problem. We will work with local authorities, community organisations, and other agencies to encourage people to report suspicious activity, either to police in their community, or anonymously through Crimestoppers. We will also ensure that the police will use visible enforcement to reinforce the message that serious organised criminals will be caught and punished.

VISIBLE ENFORCEMENT - OPERATION FOCUS

Operation Focus was a police-led operation in West Lothian to target drug dealers, clean up neighbourhoods and re-assure communities that drug dealing will not be tolerated. Senior management in West Lothian Council and NHS Lothian signed a confidentiality agreement enabling multi-agency planning meetings to take place which covered child protection, education, housing, environmental services and drug support agencies. Over five days of enforcement there were 63 arrests, followed by a community re-assurance phase which included:

• Police liaison with head teachers to explain police activity and drug awareness presentations at schools to coincide with police activity.
• A "blue tooth" anti-drugs message sent to pupils' mobile phones at lunchtime and after school.
• West Lothian Housing Department advised of arrests in advance and able to arrange replacement door fittings immediately.
• Teams of environmental services staff deployed to communities immediately after arrests to clean graffiti from public areas, remove rubbish, and generally enhance the environment.

Community feedback has been very positive, and information provided by the public has increased since Operation Focus.

HELP BUSINESSES AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM BECOMING VICTIMS OF SERIOUS ORGANISED CRIME

57. Businesses can be the victims of serious organised crime, through counterfeiting, fraud, organised shoplifting and logistics crime. There is more that can be done to help businesses to protect themselves, and to make Scotland a more hostile place for serious organised crime groups to operate in. The Scottish Business Crime Centre ( SBCC) provides a link between government, businesses and the police. It provides some practical advice on how businesses can avoid being the victims of crime. A joint SBCC/ SCDEA conference for businesses took place in January 2009 marking the beginning of a new collaboration. Further collaborative events, and targeted conferences and seminars for the business community are being planned.

58. Steps are being taken to raise awareness in local government. A joint SCDEA/ COSLA conference for Local Authority staff is planned for 26 June 2009. This will focus on steps local councils can take to protect themselves against the threats posed by serious organised crime.

ENHANCE INFORMATION EXCHANGE AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUSINESS AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES

59. Businesses have a wealth of information about their experience of serious organised crime. Local authorities and other public agencies can also hold key information and we will work to improve the intelligence flow and to encourage more reporting of suspicious activity. We will find creative ways to work together across sectors to tackle the threat we all face from serious organised crime.

BUILD AN EVIDENCE BASE ON SERIOUS ORGANISED CRIME

60. Serious organised crime is a relatively new area of research in Scotland and the picture currently contains a lot of gaps. While police intelligence generally relates to targets identified by police activity and by its nature tends to be tactically driven, pro-active research can highlight threats not yet known to the police and provide a broader picture. We will work with academic partners to develop a strong evidence base, harnessing existing knowledge and conducting research in Scotland.

61. As part of this approach we will develop sector analysis and use it to help prioritise action. Sector analysis is a technique used successfully in other jurisdictions in Europe to understand market dynamics and predict future threats. Sector analysis specifically analyses both licit and illicit markets to establish what are the actual levels of organised criminal involvement in illicit markets and how vulnerable are specific licit markets to organised criminality.

DETECT

OBJECTIVE: TO GIVE SERIOUS ORGANISED CRIMINALS NO PLACE TO HIDE BY BOOSTING CAPACITY AND IMPROVING CO-ORDINATION.

62. Intelligence is at the heart of tackling serious organised crime, identifying the risks, enabling effective enforcement action, and reducing the harm it causes in our communities. We need to know the enemy. Serious organised crime groups move swiftly, work across borders and are highly adept at using counter-measures to avoid detection. Disrupting their activities requires having the right specialist skills, deployed effectively. It also means improving our ability to draw on wider sources of information to ensure we identify emerging threats. By improving our understanding of the risk, we will be better positioned to develop our capacity and capability to deal with serious organised crime.

63. In order to improve our knowledge we will:

• Boost capacity in intelligence analysis, forensic accounting, e-crime and technical support.
• Collect, analyse and co-ordinate intelligence more effectively, by creating a permanent Serious Organised Crime Mapping Team.
• Create a new collective process to use intelligence to drive action.
• Create means to scan the environment for emerging threats.
• Attract and retain the right analytical skills by reviewing the skills, training, pay and career structure for analysts.

BOOST CAPACITY IN INTELLIGENCE ANALYSIS, FORENSIC ACCOUNTING, E-CRIME AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT.

64. Serious organised crime groups are increasingly sophisticated in the methods they use to keep their communications secret, using new technology to combat surveillance techniques. As more business is done over the internet, and companies are increasingly reliant on IT to manage their finances, serious organised criminals have been quick to try to find ways to exploit systems and defraud companies and individuals through e-crime. They are also growing in their ability to use accountancy expertise to launder money and hide their assets.

65. In order to meet these emerging threats, the police need to enhance their traditional surveillance and detection skills, with new expertise. We will fund new experts in intelligence analysis, covert policing, financial investigation, e-crime and technical support based at the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency ( SCDEA). We will also create a new Scottish Co-ordination and Intelligence Unit which will include new teams to co-ordinate activity to tackle complex fraud and human trafficking.

COLLECT, ANALYSE AND CO-ORDINATE INTELLIGENCE MORE EFFECTIVELY, BY CREATING A PERMANENT SERIOUS ORGANISED CRIME MAPPING TEAM.

66. The Serious Organised Crime Mapping Project has for the first time brought together information from the eight forces and partner agencies across Scotland to reveal a comprehensive picture of the scale of serious organised crime in Scotland. Bringing this information together provides an objective evaluation, ranked in order of harm caused, and therefore priority to intervene. This is a powerful tool, which enables clear decisions to be taken about what investigative resources to commit, and where.

67. There is an ongoing need to update the intelligence, and move as quickly as the criminals to ensure law enforcement continues to target those individuals and groups doing most harm in our communities. We will therefore create a permanent Serious Organised Crime Mapping Team, as part of the new Unit outlined above. This will enable an ongoing effort to be established to collect, analyse and co-ordinate information. There is a need to widen the information net, and we will work with UK agencies such as HM Revenue and Customs and Department for Work and Pensions in respect of the most dangerous criminals to ensure information is shared.

DEVELOP COLLECTIVE PROCESS TO USE INTELLIGENCE TO DRIVE ACTION.

68. Intelligence is used to target interventions, however police forces and other agencies currently use different sources. We will establish a permanent central Mapping Team as part of the Scottish Co-ordination and Intelligence Unit. Involving staff from SCDEA, the Scottish forces and UK bodies such as SOCA it will provide the opportunity to collectively agree operational priorities across Scotland based on robust, shared intelligence from Scotland, the UK and beyond.

69. We will build on the existing Scottish Strategic and Scottish Tactical Groups led by ACPOS. We will tackle Scotland's most dangerous and harmful criminals by bringing together the key agencies, with individuals at the table able to commit resources and agreement in place in relation to the objective evaluation of targets.

ENHANCE MEANS TO SCAN THE ENVIRONMENT FOR EMERGING THREATS

70. Serious organised crime shifts its priorities and activities to take advantage of changing circumstances. We need to ensure we scan the horizon for emerging threats, and do not solely rely on existing sources of information. The Scottish Strategic Assessment aims to do this, but is currently primarily an operational tool run by and for Scottish police forces. We commit to finding ways to enhance existing environmental scanning mechanisms to include information from more partners, drawing on international best practice and academic sources where appropriate.

ATTRACT AND RETAIN THE RIGHT ANALYTICAL SKILLS BY REVIEWING THE SKILLS, TRAINING, PAY AND CAREER STRUCTURE FOR ANALYSTS

71. Recent Taskforce work suggests a need to boost analytical capacity, and to attract and retain the right analytical skills. A review was undertaken by Justice Analytical Services Division within the Scottish Government to look at the current pattern of analytical skills, skills requirement, retaining talent, providing a career structure and pay, training and opportunities. The review is being finalised and is likely to make some recommendations about how to improve the retention and development of analytical skills. The Taskforce will consider and implement where appropriate its recommendations.

MAKING IT HAPPEN - GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT

72. To achieve our objectives, we need to raise awareness of the problem serious organised crime poses. Getting the right messages out to the right audiences will be key. In order to oversee the communications activity linked to this strategy we will set up a Taskforce Sub-Group to bring together Communications experts in law enforcement and other agencies. The Sub-Group will take a fresh look at the Communications needs to help achieve the four objectives in this strategy.

73. The Sub-Group will develop a Communications Plan, likely to include:

• The creation of a single web resource which pulls together public information on activity to tackle serious organised crime.
• Consideration of a common brand for the communication of Taskforce activities to better demonstrate to the public the range of work underway.

MAKING IT HAPPEN - GOING BEYOND LAW ENFORCEMENT

74. To achieve our objectives we need to get smarter at working together, and this means going beyond the law enforcement community. We all have a role to play. This has three aspects:

• Getting wider partners, including local authorities and businesses, onboard to improve information exchange, giving a richer understanding of the threat, and reducing their vulnerability to crime.
• Improve joint working with regulatory bodies, including local authorities, to target serious organised crime groups.
• Encouraging communities to volunteer information through Crimestoppers and community police officers, and making more effective use of this intelligence.

NEXT STEPS

75. We now have better intelligence than ever before about the extent of serious organised crime in Scotland. The scale and complexity of the challenge means that we must act decisively. This strategy sets our direction, and the key actions we have agreed to take are summarised below. This will be underpinned by a detailed implementation plan.

SUMMARY OF KEY ACTIONS

DIVERT

• A new Communications Sub-Group to take a fresh look at raising awareness of the dangers of buying products sold by serious organised criminals.

DISRUPT

• Better joint planning on how to tackle the most harmful criminals.
• New offences to target those involved at all levels of serious organised crime.

DETER

• A new service to ensure public sector contracts are not awarded to businesses with links to crime.

DETECT

• A new Scottish Co-ordination and Intelligence Unit to tackle fraud and human trafficking. More intelligence analysts, surveillance specialists, financial investigators and technical specialists to combat serious organised crime head on.

CONTRIBUTORS

76. This strategy was developed by the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce in Scotland and reflects inputs from the Taskforce Subgroup who are:

Mairi Macpherson - Police: Strategy and Delivery Unit, Scottish Government (Chair)
Alan Moffat - Chief Superintendent, Head of Interventions, SCDEA
Campbell Corrigan - Acting Assistant Chief Constable, Strathclyde Police, on behalf of ACPOS
Scott Pattison and Katie Stewart - Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service ( COPFS)
John Fenton - Serious Organised Crime Agency ( SOCA)
Jim Farish -Assistant Director of Prisons, Scottish Prison Service
John Fitzcharles - HM Revenue and Customs
John McCroskie - Head of Communication, SPSA

77. Thanks also go to the following individuals and organisations for their input and participation in discussions:

David Barbour - SCDEA Interventions Unit
Mark Connelly - SCDEA, Serious Organised Crime Mapping Project, Project Manager
Alan Cunningham - SCDEA Interventions Unit
Linda Dempster - Deputy Director for Scotland and Northern Ireland, UK Borders Agency
Alan Dobie - Scottish Business Crime Centre
David Doig - Enforcement Manager, Serious Organised Crime Agency ( SOCA)
Paula Evans - Convention of Scottish Local Authorities ( COSLA)
Johnny Gwynne - SCDEA, Deputy Director General
Niall Hamilton-Smith - Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research
John Hawkins - Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland
Anne Lavery - ACPOS National Intelligence Model Development Team
Korin Lebov - Scottish Government Analytical Services
Susan Lumsden - ACPOS Communications Sub-Group
Simon Mackenzie - Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research
Ruaraidh Nicolson - Detective Chief Superintendent, Strathclyde Police
Martin Rutland - Scottish Business Crime Centre
Russell Scott - ACPOS National Intelligence Model Development Team
Phil Taylor - Director for Scotland and Northern Ireland, UK Borders Agency
Stevie Whitelock - SCDEA, Serious Organised Crime Mapping Project, Project Executive
Andrew Walker - ACPOS Communications Group

PUBLIC SOURCES

78. This strategy was informed by the following public sources:

Association of Chief Police Officers, "The Nature, Extent and Economic Impact of Fraud in the UK", February 2007
http://www.acpo.police.uk/asp/policies/Data/Fraud%20in%20the%20UK.pdf

Australian Government, Australian Institute of Criminology, "The Worldwide Fight against Transnational Organised Crime: Australia", 2004

Crime Prevention Unit New Zealand ,"Organised Crime Strategy", March 2008-June 2009
http://www.justice.govt.nz/cpu/organised-crime/strategy.html

European Commission, "Strategic concept in the fight against organised crime"
http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/l33250.htm

European Council Decision 2004/579/ EC, "Conclusion of the United National Convention against organised crime", 2004
http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/l33084.htm

Home Office and Scottish Executive, " UK Action Plan to Tackle Human Trafficking", 2007
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/human-traffick-action-plan

Home Office, "One Step Ahead - a 21st Century Strategy to Defeat Organised Crime", 2004
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/cons-organised-crime-300704/organised-crime-300704?view=Binary

HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland, "Thematic Inspection of Serious Fraud", May 2008
https://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/05/09105454/0

HM Revenue and Customs purpose, vision and way
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/hmrc-vision.htm

Public Safety Canada, "Working Together to Combat Organized Crime: A Public Report on Actions under the National Agenda to Combat Organized Crime", 2007
http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/prg/le/oc/_fl/ogcrime06_e.pdf

Scottish Business Crime Centre, "Executive Director's Report 07/08"
http://sbcc.org.uk/public/News-and-Events/Useful-Publications.jsp

Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency, "Dealing with Organised Crime in Scotland", Annual Report 2007-08
http://www.scdea.police.uk/SDEA-Annual-Report/SCDEA%20Annual%20Report%2007-08.pdf

Scottish Executive, "Estimating the National and Local Prevalence of Problem Drug Misuse in Scotland", Hay, G., Gannon, M., McKeganey, N.P., Nutchinson, S. & Goldberg, D, 2008

Scottish Government, "The Road to Recovery: A New Approach to Tackling Scotland's Drug Problem", 2008
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/05/22161610/0

Scottish Government, COSLA, ACPOS, SCRA, COPFS, "Preventing Offending by Young People - A Framework for Action", June 2008
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/youth-justice/NewPage

Scottish Government, "Human Trafficking in Scotland 07-08", April 2009
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/03/31164935/0

Serious Organised Crime Agency, " SOCA's Annual Report 2007-08"
http://www.soca.gov.uk/assessPublications/downloads/SOCA_Annual_Report_0708.pdf

US Congressional Research Service, "Transnational Organized Crime: Principal Threats and U.S. Responses", 2006

UK Government, Scottish Executive, " UK Action Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking", March 2007
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/03/e2315229/link

RESTRICTED SOURCES

Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, "Scottish Strategic Assessment 2008-09"

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, "Getting organised: A Thematic report on the police service's response to serious and organised crime", September 2008

SCDEA, "The Use of Specialists and Professionals by Organised Crime Enterprises - Problem Profile", April 2008

Serious Organised Crime Group Mapping Project, presentation by Stephen Whitelock, Project Executive, 25 November 2008

« Previous | Contents | Next »