£48m boost to fight Mr Big gangs

BRITAIN’S equivalent of the FBI is to recruit more officers to target the “dirty money” profits of organised crime gangs.

The boost to the National Crime Agency is part of a £48million package to tackle illicit finance.

The new funding is due to be announced by Ben Wallace, Minister for Security and Economic Crime, in London today.

It will form part of the Government’s strategy for 2019/20 to combat serious and organised crime, which is estimated to cost the UK economy £37billion a year. Mr Wallace said money laundering is a fundamental part of a crime gang’s business, whether it is the proceeds of drug dealing, human trafficking or cyber crime.

He said: “Sharp suits swan around while they head up networks that covertly trade millions of pounds in financial transactions. Many serious and organised criminals think they are above the law. They are wrong.

“Our new strategic approach not only improves our government and law enforcement capabilities, but also ensures the private sector, the public and international partners are integrated.”

The NCA says there are around 4,600 serious and organised crime groups operating in Britain. The £48million boost includes the recruitment of more officers to focus on investigating serious crime and identifying cash from it.

NCA director general Lynne Owens said of the threat: “Each year it kills more of our citizens than terrorism, war and natural disasters combined.”

Meanwhile thugs caught carrying acid face up to two years’ jail from today under a 61-part commitment in the Government’s Serious Violence Strategy.

Minister Victoria Atkins said: “Acid attacks are utterly appalling crimes and we are determined to put a stop to them.