NEW POLICE UNIT TO FIGHT CRIME BARONS

THE people behind some of the biggest organised crime networks in Scotland
are to be targeted by a unique law enforcement nerve-centre which will
bring together some of the country's best detectives.

A financial investigation unit - the first of its kind in Scotland - will
be housed at the new headquarters building of the Scottish Drug Enforcement
Agency, which is under construction in Paisley.

The high-security site will form part of a crime-fighting campus from where
a number of expert agencies will take on crime barons.

Customs and Excise, the National Investigation Service, the National
Criminal Intelligence Service and the SDEA share three buildings on the
site, near Glasgow Airport.

But their efforts are being constrained by a lack of space and the new SDEA
headquarters will allow more effective cross-working between each of the
organisations.

The SDEA is currently creating an intelligence data base which every police
force in Scotland could access.

Jim Orr, the director of the SDEA, who presented his agency's first annual
report to Scottish executive ministers yesterday, said the 16,000 sq ft
site would be a nerve centre for intelligence on criminal activities.

He told The Scotsman: "This new-look site will be in effect a campus
setting, and a centre of excellence.

"It will give us even more momentum to have the maximum impact. At present,
we are held back by a lack of space and the new headquarters will allow us
to take on even more recruits to the SDEA.

"It's important to have all these agencies which specialise in intelligence
gathering and highly-skilled operations on the one spot because it
encourages the sharing of intelligence about criminals and their activities."

The SDEA is currently based at Osprey House. But in his annual report, Mr
Orr said: "The development of the SDEA, especially in the recruitment of
personnel, has put enormous strain on the available accommodation, to such
an extent that additional facilities are required.

"The new headquarters will accommodate the senior management team, the
drugs co-ordination unit, administration and personnel and the financial
investigation unit.

"This will free up valuable space within Osprey House which will be
realigned to house the enlarged operations and intelligence groups, as well
as a proposed expansion of the NCIS Scottish office."

Mr Orr said there was even more room for expansion built into the new
multi-million pound HQ, which is due for completion in March next year.

About 200 officers, from all the organisations, will eventually work from
the site. Mr Orr added: "Many of them won't be working there on a
day-to-day basis, because they will be out building up intelligence on
targets."

The ground-breaking financial investigation unit has been recommended by
the country's eight chief constables and will aim to undermine the funding
of criminal activity.

Legislation is currently proceeding to bring forward tough new powers which
will lead to criminal assets being confiscated and the unit would use those
new rules to put offenders out of business.