POLICE REVEAL EXTENT OF ORGANISED CRIME

Crime Gangs In The UK Are 'networking', Intelligence Research Finds
Special Report: Policing Crime

More than 900 crime families and other organised criminal groups in
the UK, are dealing in activities ranging from drugs smuggling to
trafficking endangered species of rare animals, a report revealed yesterday.

With crime costing the country an estimated (pounds)350bn a year, the
gangs pose a formidable threat to the economy and the justice system.
They have started "networking" in a way that could make them more
difficult to catch, the National Criminal Intelligence Service warned.

NCIS said 56% of gangs are involved in drug trafficking and nearly all
are money laundering in the report The Threat from Serious and
Organised Crime.

Yet NCIS found that few solicitors, accountants and estate agents had
written "suspicious transaction reports". Investigators believe that
many professionals turn a blind eye to criminal activity.

Rows between rival drug gangs accounted for an estimated 52 murders in
the UK last year, the report said.

The increase in the number of kidnappings - from 41 in 1998 to 72 last
year-was a reflection of the increase in illegal entrant traffic,
particularly from the Fujian province in China. Many of those who pay
criminals for passage into the UK are either forced into prostitution
or imprisoned until their families pay ransom money.

While most of the crime gangs in the UK are British, NCIS identified
significant activity by criminals from Albania, China, Colombia, the
former Soviet Union, south Asia, Turkey, west Africa and the West Indies.

Albanian criminals were associated mainly with heroin trafficking, and
prostitution. Chinese Triads, primarily the 14K and Wo Shing Wo
groups, were linked to illegal immigration.

The Colombian cocaine cartels have been focusing particular attention
on the UK because users here are prepared to pay up to 20% more for
the drug than in other European countries.

The report said there were signs that crime gangs are beginning to
diversify and collaborate in an unprecedented way.

"Thus, south Asian criminals appear to be involved in a wide spectrum
of organised crime, including armed robbery, insurance fraud, credit
card fraud, and vehicle theft, as well as crimes with which they were
previously associated, such as heroin trafficking and illegal
immigration."

The report added: "If a greater degree of collaboration occurs between
criminals of different ethnicities, it will... make criminals more
effective by introducing them to new criminal networks."

NCIS has compiled intelligence reports on 930 families and gangs
working in the UK, though Roger Gaspar, the director of intelligence
at NCIS, said they were not all major organisations.

Computer hacking, internet fraud and counterfeiting of the Euro were
identified as key problems for the future.

The report said one high street bank, HSBC, came under regular attack
from hackers, though security had never been breached. One hacker
tried 150m passwords over two days before giving up.

The trafficking of endangered animals and plants was also highlighted.
In 1997 and 1998, 2,999 live animals were seized.

The haul included 22 crocodiles, and scores of parrots, butterflies
and poisonous frogs.

"The grip and influence of organised crime is far reaching," said John
Abbott, director general of NCIS.

"There is nothing glamorous about organised crime, it brings with it
many victims. The effects are increasingly felt in every local
community throughout the UK."

NCIS report in full: http://www.ncis.gov.uk/publications.html