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  • Organised crime

    Topics:
    • Policing and community safety
    Organised crime can be defined as planned and coordinated criminal behaviour, conducted by people, groups or networks working together on a continuing basis. Their motivation is usually financial gain. Organised crime operates within and across jurisdictions and causes harm to individuals, communities and businesses. Organised crime may involve violence or the threat of violence and, in Northern Ireland, some organised crime groups also have paramilitary connections.

    Threats from organised crime

    An Annual Report and Threat Assessment is published each year setting out an account of the work in tackling organised crime looking back and the anticipated threat areas for the year ahead. The threats cover:

    • Cyber Crime
    • Drug Crime
    • Economic Crime
    • intellectual property crime
    • Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking
    • Organised Immigration Crime
    • Border Crime
    • Excise Evasion and Tax Fraud
    • National Serious and Organised Crime
    • Environmental Crime
    • Organised Crime against the Benefit System

    Copies of current and previous reports can be found here - Organised Crime Task Force - Annual Report & Threat Assessments

    Organised Crime Task Force

    An Organised Crime Task Force was established in 2000. It provides a multi- agency partnership approach to tackling organised crime in Northern Ireland. The Organised Crime Task Force brings together police, customs and other law enforcement agencies, along with Government Departments, the Policing Board and the local business community to combat organised crime.

    More information can be found on the Organised Crime Task Force website(external link opens in a new window / tab)

    Strategy

    The Northern Ireland Organised Crime Strategy 2021-2024 is a multi-agency strategy to help protect individuals, communities and businesses in Northern Ireland from organised crime. The Strategy came into effect on 1 April 2021.

    The strategic objectives were aligned to four thematic pillars of:

    • Pursue: pursuing offenders through investigation, disruption and prosecution.

    • Prepare and Protect: supporting individuals, communities, systems and businesses to mitigate vulnerability and impact.

    • Prevent: deterring and diverting people from engaging and re-engaging in organised crime.

    • Partnership: creating a sustainable, efficient, effective and collaborative system response.

    Following the expiration of this strategy in March 2024, an Addendum Work Plan that carried forward any ongoing or incomplete actions was developed. This work plan continued to be based around the four thematic pillars from the previous strategy. A link to the current work plan can be found at - OCTF Addendum Work Plan 24-25 | Department of Justice

     

    Related to Organised crime

    Most recent publications

    • OCTF Addendum Work Plan 24-25

      Published 15 October 2024
    • Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Strategy 2024-2027

      Published 10 July 2024
    See all publications in this topic

    Most recent consultations

    • Consultation on codes of practice issued under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

      Published 15 February 2024 Consultation closed
    • Consultation on Measures to Strengthen the Response to Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking

      Published 13 March 2022 Consultation closed
    See all consultations in this topic

    Most recent news items

    • Children exploited in criminality in Northern Ireland not recognised as victims of modern slavery and human trafficking, landmark research finds

      Published 11 June 2025
    • Level of fraud outlined by Justice Minister at scam conference

      Published 20 March 2025
    See all news in this topic

    Access to information

    How to request information from the Department of Justice including Freedom of Information (FOI) and the use of our Publication Scheme.

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