Reevel Alderson
BBC Scotland's Home Affairs Correspondent |
  The government wants to get tough on criminal empires |
The Scottish Government has announced new measures to target serious organised crime. They will be included in the Criminal Justice and Licensing Bill which will be introduced to the Scottish Parliament later this year. The aim of the new measures is to attack the financial bases of criminal empires. Among the offences and measures outlined are: - directing or controlling serious organised crime or being involved in it
- failing to report, or knowingly living off serious organised criminal activity
- new arrangements for police surveillance to cut bureaucracy which can delay operations
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said apart from targeting those directly involved in serious organised crime, the measures would mean the crime bosses behind it would also now be vulnerable. The bill will enable courts to convict even those who are not engaged in day-to-day criminal activities, and professionals such as accountants and lawyers who turn a blind eye to serious crime. Mr MacAskill said the government was determined to take on criminal empires, to ensure they could no longer be able to operate with impunity. Speaking ahead of Monday's latest meeting of the Scottish Government's Serious Organised Crime Taskforce, he said: "The criminal godfathers, their lieutenants and foot soldiers who prey on our citizens should be under no illusion that this government is determined to put them out of business." He added: "This government is determined to take them on and take them down."
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