Photograph of small bags of cocaine
The Service has worked to combat smugglers of hard drugs such as cocaine.
The Security Service became involved in countering serious crime in 1996. We deployed our full range of skills and resources, used traditionally against the terrorist and espionage targets, to combat the threat from serious crime. Work in this area was suspended in April 2006, following the launch of the Serious Organised Crime Agency and the need to redeploy Service resources in order to combat the increased threat to the UK from international terrorism.
During this period, the Service was successfully involved in a number of complex and major law enforcement investigations. In contrast with our national security work, we did not act independently in the investigation of serious crime, but became involved only when tasked by law enforcement agencies. We only accepted tasking on a case if we assessed, in consultation with the relevant law enforcement agencies, that our skills, knowledge and capabilities were likely to have a significant impact on the specific investigation.
Tackling Serious Crime
Most of our serious crime work in the period up to April 2006 was in support of countering illegal drug importation, but we also made important contributions in the areas of illegal immigration, arms trafficking and excise fraud.
Intelligence provided by the Service since 1996 contributed to the arrests and subsequent prosecutions of leading drugs traffickers. There were also significant seizures of Class A drugs, illegal firearms and criminal assets, partly as a result of our support for law enforcement investigations.
More recently we contributed to the strategic assessment of the trends in, and factors behind, serious crime. Our assessments have supported the government and law enforcement agencies in defining strategic direction.
The Serious Organised Crime Agency
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In February 2004, the Home Secretary announced the formation of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA). This body brings together the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS), the National Crime Squad (NCS), the investigative and intelligence work of HM Revenue and Customs on serious drug trafficking and the recovery of related criminal assets, and the Home Office's responsibilities for dealing with organised immigration crime.
The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 came into force on 11 April 2005. A Home Office press release summarises the main provisions of the Act, which establishes SOCA and sets out its constitution, functions, general powers and its relationship with Ministers.
SOCA became operational on 3 April 2006. We have a close working relationship with the new Agency, which is headed by a former Director General of the Security Service, Sir Stephen Lander.