 SCDEA director Graeme Pearson is tasked with tackling organised crime |
A crime campus which Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson said would represent a "world-class response" to organised crime could be ready by 2010. The Scottish Executive is close to agreeing a deal to site crime-fighting agencies in North Lanarkshire.
The Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA) is expected to relocate from Paisley to Gartcosh.
About 700 staff, including customs officers and forensic experts, are also expected to move.
'Sophisticated threat'
The Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) will also move if a deal is reached.
Ms Jamieson said: "Scotland faces an ever more sophisticated threat from serious organised crime.
"To meet that threat we need excellent collaboration between partner agencies, dedicated facilities and state-of-the-art technology.
"It will create a world-class response to the threat from worldwide serious and organised crime."
Graeme Pearson, director of the SCDEA, said: "The appetite of serious organised criminals to make profit whatever the cost to society shows no signs of diminishing and we must enhance our ability to deal with this threat.
"The Scottish Crime Campus will undoubtedly assist our efforts by enabling a more direct and co-ordinated response."
Work is expected to start on the campus in 2008 with a target date for completion in 2010.
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