RESTRICTED Government Agency Intelligence Network GAIN The nature

RESTRICTED Government Agency Intelligence Network (GAIN) The nature of Organised Crime and Impact on Communities Prepared by Eric Kendall GAIN in Wales Co-ordinator SOUTHERN WALES’ REGIONAL ORGANISED CRIME UNIT RESTRICTED

Law Enforcement Approach to Tackle SOC • Government SOC Strategy 2013 • Three Levels • Local – Police Forces • Regional – Regional Organised Crime Units (ROCU) – Tarian http: //www. tarianrocu. org. uk/ • National/International – National Crime Agency

What does OC relate to? • Major Crime areas acknowledged run by Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) by many: • Drugs • MS/HT (including exploitation of migrant labour) • Firearms • CSE • Economic Crime • Counterfeiting

What does OC look like in the UK Organised Crime in the UK has been described as: • • • diverse, sophisticated, networked and largely invisible to the general public. The Internet, low-cost transport and international supply chains have made it easier and less risky than ever before to do business. Small volumes of illicit goods (to avoid detection) moved frequently (to meet demand) result in large rewards for some OCGs. The shift to illicit trade is also less violent compared to other serious and organised crime; where once there was competition between rival gangs, there is now an incentive for co-operation in managing complex supply chains in order to improve profits. The result is that the activities of illicit traders are largely hidden in plain sight, operating below the radar and on a small scale so as not to meet the threshold for law-enforcement action. (Extract from ‘Royal United Services Institute Report ‘On Tap’ (2014)

Impact on Communities • UK SOC Strategy 2013 • Cost UK £ 24 B (2013) • Threat to National security • Leads to loss of life, and deprive communities of their security and prosperity • Crime Groups intimidate and corrupt and have a corrosive impact on some communities • Financial crime can undermine the integrity and stability of financial market s and institutions

Case Study : OCGs using Corner Shops • Many thousands ‘corner shops’ across UK work within the law • Many hundreds across the UK, operated by OCGs acting unlawfully by selling illicit commodities - current trend that many are operated by Iraqi/Kurd subjects • ‘lawfully run’ shops in area NOT as profitable as those acting unlawfully – consequence being shops closing to the detriment of the communities. • OCGs ‘employing’ many migrant workers (some legal, some illegal immigrants) to sell within shops • Workers being exploited by the OCG members, under pressure to sell illicit commodities under threat of violence, intimidation and further exploitation (modern slavery/human trafficking) – e. g. Living in squalor, non-compliance with Minimum wage regulations et al. • Workers using illicit commodities (tobacco & alcohol) to groom vulnerable young females for Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) purposes.

Questions? Eric Kendall Wales GAIN Co-ordinator Wales Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) Tel: (Office) 01656 310205 Mobile: 07970381768 Eric. kendall 2@south-wales. pnn. police. uk