Supplementary written evidence from the
Police Service of Northern Ireland
I refer to your letter of 7 March 2006. I apologise
for the delay in responding to this matter, but I can confirm
that in respect of the questions you asked:
Q1 "What will PSNI's operational links
be with the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA)? What role
will SOCA have in Northern Ireland and what use does PSNI expect
to make of it?
The PSNI expects to work closely with SOCA to
tackle crime perpetrated by those criminals that are resident
in Northern Ireland or use it as a base/staging point to commit
crime in the UK and internationally.
Crime Operations Department will provide a single
point of contact to ensure that there is an efficient flow of
information and resources.
The PSNI believes that the majority of business
between the agencies will centre on the movement of drugs and
people, a priority will be to covertly build a picture of the
organised crime gangs by use of intelligence and new legal gateways.
SOCA will be a valuable partner in the fight
against organised crime; there is no doubt that a multi agency
approach to deal with a specific crime problem can be more effective,
rather than by agencies working in isolation.
The key to success will be to use the most appropriate
agency to arrest offenders, disrupt their activities and strip
them of their assets.
Q2 What are PSNI's operational links with
Europol and Interpol? How often does PSNI seek assistance from
or use resource of thee organisations?
When an Organised Crime Branch operation takes
place involving a Foreign Law Enforcement Agency a Commission
Rogatoire (Letter of Request) is Created by that Sub Branch, which
details the full requests being made to that Law Enforcement Agency.
This document is then sent to the Northern Ireland Public Prosecution
Office who agrees the request and they then forward it to the
foreign Governments Legal Office for approval.
Interpol contacts:
2008—50 requests to date.
Q3 Do you have any suggestions for improving
the effectiveness of the Organised Crime Task Force or for improving
the effectiveness of information sharing between agencies of the
Task Force? Does PSNI have a Revenue and Customs Liaison Officer
in the Crime Operation Department? Are P8W officers seconded to
work in a similar capacity in HNRC?
A review of the OCTF was finalised in 2005 and
the recommendations suggested in that review are now being implemented.
These changes are designed to improve effectiveness of the OCTF.
The different strands in the OCTF allow for the strategic and
tactical levels to be dealt with effectively by partner agencies.
At present there is informal liaison arrangements
between the HMRC and PSNI to assist with the flow of information
between the partners and the NIO and other agencies. This works
well as long as that Single Point Of Contact is used to ensure
the information passed is consistent and the correct lines of
communication are used.
Although there is no formal Revenue and Customs
Liaison Officer, the OCTF Liaison Officer does liaise with HMRC
on OCTF business and other business as required. PSNI officers
are not seconded to work in HMRC—this does preclude the
two agencies working closely together on investigations.
Q4 What steps does PSNI take to crack down
on increasing use of technology by organised criminal gangs, a
particular reference to use of the internet?
At present the PSNI Computer Crime Unit is limited
solely to the fundamental forensic recovery of digital evidence
principally from seized computers and media covering the full
range of criminal investigations, which would include that machines
historical internet activity only. The Computer Crime Unit has
no ACPO recognised role of "Network Investigator' and as
such carries out no live time or proactive internet investigations
into criminal activity of any sort within Northern Ireland.
A report addressing this issue is under consideration
within Serious Crime Branch.
Q5 What assessment have you made of the extent
of illegal dumping? What arrangements are in place for Joint working
with the Environment end Heritage Service to combat this problem?
Organised Crime Squad have been involved in
a number of operations regarding the illegal smuggling of Republic
of Ireland (ROI) waste into Northern Ireland and subsequent dumping
of it in both NI and Scotland. During our investigations it was
established that one haulier smuggled 28,000 tons of waste during
an 18-month period. He received payments exceeding €2.5 million
(Euros) I have discussed the recent trends in this criminality
with our partners in Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) and
recent intelligence indicates the following.
(1) Waste is now being macerated prior
to it being illegally, transported into NI. This makes the identification
of the origin of the waste more difficult to establish. Indications
of this practice were detected as recently as 6 April 2006 in
Co. Tyrone.
(2) Another suspected trend is the importation
of Green Waste from ROI into NI to recycle. When this waste crosses
the border legitimately it is then illegally dumped into landfill
sites. This is effectively laundering the waste.
The volume of this activity is difficult to
assess. The Environment and Protection Agency (EPA) in ROI claim
to have significantly reduced this illegal activity however intelligence
gathered in NI would indicate that it still continues as described
above.
Organised Crime Squad and Environmental Heath
Service (EHS) have worked effectively in close cooperation in
targeting a number of individuals involved in this criminality.
Organised Crime Squad have utilised money-laundering
legislation to tackle this problem, as the powers of enforcement
provided by the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 are more robust.
This has led to a number of joint operations
leading to the successful stopping of lorries illegally transporting
waste and a major investigation, which resulted in the charging
of three suspects with money laundering and waste offences.
A recent development has been the introduction
of formal arrangements for the passage of intelligence from EHS
to the PSNI and vice versa.
Q6 What stage have your proposals to allow
seizure of vehicles Connected with organised crime offences reached?
The current status of the draft Waste (Amendment)
Order (NI) 200618 that the Environmental Protection Division of
the Department of Environment NI who are taking the legislation
forward are seeking formal advice from the Departmental Solicitors
office. It is disappointing that this legislation has not been
implemented yet
This has allowed the criminals the upper hand
to proceed. The legislation as it stands limits enforcement agencies
ability to tackle this problem. The most fundamental difficulty
is the stopping and detaining of suspect vehicles transporting
waste.
Q7 What work has PSNI done with the UK Immigration
service in combating illegal immigration (and acting against gangs
involved in this area)?
The permanent United Kingdom Immigration Service
(UKIS) presence in Northern Ireland is based at Belfast International
Airport (BIA). That office is part of the "Borders and Control
Directorate".
Since October 2004 a team from the Enforcement
and Removals Directorate (separate department of UKIS) based at
Liverpool have operated in Northern Ireland on a regular, albeit
limited basis, both at the ports and conducting community visits.
The UKIS hope to have an operational and dedicated
Northern Ireland based enforcement and removals team in the near
future. They will also provide assistance to police on a call-out
basis.
To date there have been no joint PSNI/Immigration
Service operations mounted against organised illegal immigration
specific to Northern Ireland.
Q8 What are the reasons for the low levels
of reporting of extortion and racketeering that you have identified?
Are these rates of reporting comparable to rates of reporting
of other crimes associated with organised crime?
It has been identified that the main reason
for not reporting is the fear and cost factor around paramilitary
reprisals.
There is evidence to suggest that extortion
is seen as an acceptable tax within parts of Northern Ireland,
builders and contractor subsequently factor this into the cost
of a project increasing the cost to the customer.
From 2004 to 2005 Organised Crime Branch have
experienced almost a threefold increase in successful operations
against extortion.
It is difficult to be definitive in comparing
reporting rates in relation to crimes associated with organised
crime, as the true levels of the crimes can only be estimates.
Q9 What steps are PSNI taking to improve the
confidence of the public and businesses in their operations against
organised crime and to encourage reporting? What arrangements
are made to facilitate third party reporting?
Crime Operations have appointed a dedicated
press officer to ensure that the positive results from operations
against organised criminals receive appropriate media coverage
and subsequently encourage reporting.
Any report in relation to organised crime activities
will be investigated, this may take an overt or covert form.
Throughout 2006-07 it is hoped that a series
of consultations will take place with various professional bodies
to make them fully aware of their individual responsibilities
in relation to reporting suspected criminal offences.
Q10 What response would you make to the suggestion
that increasing confidence in the police is a matter of increasing
visible police presence in communities? What response would you
make to the suggestion that has been made to the Committee that
implementation of the Patern recommendations has led to a reduction
in police presence on the streets, reducing public confidence
in police efforts to combat organised crime?
Every interaction the police have with the public
affects public confidence. Our Reassurance Strategy aims to raise
public confidence by improving communications, managing public
expectations and assuring local communities that crime is being
addressed. By being visible, accessible and familiar we can reduce
the fear of crime and whilst a reduction in the number of officers
has an impact on this, it is not the only factor.
We will continue to consult with communities
and to identify and prioritize improvements to the physical and
social environment, working in partnership and using community-focused
policing to target crime and disorder to make neighbourhoods more
secure.
There is no doubt the public like to see police
officers on the streets of Northern Ireland, with time the bonds
of confidence between the police and general public will increase
and so should the flow of information gleaned from everyday contacts.
With the introduction of the National Intelligence
Model process the PSNI are now even more focused on targeting
the organised criminals who have high media profiles and those
who affect the local community.
We take into consideration a number of factors
while developing a fluid matrix that highlights where the resources
of the PSNI are most effectively focused, to provide the greatest
return to the public.
It has been established that by the arrest of
a key individual, a large number of other criminals are disrupted.
In the longer term with the reduction of opportunities
for gangs to commit crime and increased detection rates then the
public should feel more confident.
Q11 What response would you make to the Federation
of Small Businesses proposal that the police should provide a
free helpline for businesses faced with extortion demands?
A dedicated phone line has been installed in
the Organised Crime Branch extortion office so that members of
the public can make contact easily.
The telephone number will be 02890922267.
The PSNI are also currently considering adding
a facility to the PSNI internet site to encourage reporting.
A free help line can also be considered, but
the PSNI believe that the minimal cost reporting the offence is
not a factor that prevents reporting.
Sir Hugh Order OBE
Chief Constable
24 February 2006
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