ACPO (the Association of Chief Police Officers) has welcomed the Government’s Organised Crime White Paper: ‘One Step Ahead – A 21st Century Strategy to Defeat Organised Criminals’
ACPO lead on Organised Crime and Chief Constable of Lancashire, Paul Stephenson, said:
"ACPO is pleased to see the publication of the Government’s White Paper on organised crime. Initial estimates show the financial harm caused by professional criminal gangs is up to £40 billion per year. We need the most up to date tools to combat this menace to our society.
"The National Crime Squad and Criminal Intelligence Service, together with Customs and Immigration Services, have done excellent work to date but much more is required to impact on these huge amounts. We are currently only scratching the surface of the harm these crimes cause.
"It is important to remember the harm is not only financial, although this is a substantial part of it. Society suffers on many levels as a result of the actions of organised criminals. Harm from organised crime is effectively a continuum with the drugs and prostitution on our streets often co-ordinated by national and international criminal organisations.
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Drug harm
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"Loss of revenue means reduced facilities (e.g. health, education, police) which is to the detriment of everyone in society. Drug trafficking supplies in excess of 280,000 ‘high harm causing drug users’ who in turn steal to fund their habit and cost society millions in health provision and their dealings with criminal justice departments. Involvement in illegal immigration has been linked to kidnappings, prostitution and needless deaths. Criminal groups have been shown to have links to terrorist groups and overall these professional criminals increase the fear within our communities and jeopardise the tolerant and diverse society that we value.
