WIREDGOV

The National Crime Agency has published its second public-facing analysis of the serious and organised crime threats affecting the UK.

The National Strategic Assessment (NSA), which is produced annually, draws together knowledge from across the whole law enforcementcommunity. It provides an objective picture of serious and organised crime threats, enabling UK law enforcement as a whole to prioritise, coordinate and target the response.

Themes in the 2015 assessment include:

• An overall increase in the risk from human trafficking and modern slavery, and a specific increase in labour exploitation
• Money laundering is now a high priority risk in its own right
• The expectation that criminals will focus on mobile malware as the use of apps for financial transactions increases
• The growing complexity of tracing online criminal activity as the next generation of IP addresses rolls out
• Bribery and corruption remain critical enablers for all types of criminality

The NSA is presented in two sections:

The first section analyses the key threats including child sexual exploitation and abuse, firearms, organised immigration crime, human trafficking and modern slavery, cyber crime, money laundering, drugs, economic crime and organised acquisitive crime.

The second section assesses the cross-cutting threats which underpin most serious and organised crime, including corruption, criminal use of internet technology, prisons and lifetime management, border vulnerabilities, and the criminal use of identity as an enabler.

NCA Director General Keith Bristow said:

“Serious and organised crime affects us all. It is a pervasive national security threat with far-reaching effects on the UK’s social and economic well-being and international reputation. Its perpetrators are highly innovative and tenacious in pursuing their goals; our response must be resourceful and relentless.

“To inform that response, we need a comprehensive understanding of the risk. The National Strategic Assessment draws together that single picture and has been produced in consultation with a broad range of partners.

“A collaborative approach remains vital across policing and law enforcement. Partnerships, both domestic and international, bringing together the public and private sectors, academia, charities and society as a whole, are crucial to delivering a lasting detrimental effect on serious and organised crime impacting on the UK.”

Further information

• National Strategic Assessment of Serious and Organised Crime 2015