Over 180,000 linked to crime gangs

There are at least 181,000 offenders linked to serious and organised crime in the UK – twice the strength of the British Army, it is claimed.

The National Crime Agency( N CA) said the number was a “conservative estimate” as it only takes into account members of organised crime groups (OCGS) and those operating on the worst dark web child abuse sites.

The NCA’S director general, Lynne Owens, said a £2.7 billion investment in law enforcement is needed to combat serious organised crime over the next three years.

She said: “Serious and organised crime [SOC] in the UK is chronic and corrosive–its scale is truly staggering.

“It kills more people ever y year than terrorism, war and natural disasters combined. SO C affects more UKci tizens, more frequently than any other national security threat. And it costs the UK at least £37bn a year – equivalent to nearly £2,000 per family. We need significant further investment to keep pace with the growing scale and complexity.”

The NCA said“professional enablers” such as accountants, solicitors and those working in financial services are increasingly facilitating crimes with their expertise.

And use of the dark web and encryption to cloak offending have also grown significantly, with cryptocurrenices increasingly used to launder dirty money.