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Serious and organised crime (SOC) covers a wide range of planned activities by individuals. This can include
- Class A drug trafficking
- human trafficking
- fraud
Organised criminals working together for a particular criminal activity are called an organised crime group (OCG). Their motivation is often, but not always, financial gain. Serious and organised crime almost always involves the exploitation of vulnerable people. This includes children and adults who need safeguarding.
Serious and Organised Crime can affect all of us and includes:
- organised supply and distribution of drugs (County Lines)
- child sexual exploitation (CSE), including the sharing of indecent images of children online
- human trafficking and modern slavery
- major theft and robbery
- fraud and other forms of financial crime
- supply of firearms or other weapons and counterfeit goods
- cybercrime and cyber-enabled crime
Under section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act, we have a responsibility to do all we can to prevent crime and disorder in our area. Publically commissioned private and voluntary sector providers must also contribute to prevention efforts. This can be done through due diligence and information sharing to protect communities from crime.
North Somerset’s Community Safety Partnership (CSP) works in partnership with a range of agencies. This allows access to a wealth of powers through its partners.
These partners include:
- law enforcement
- Trading Standards
- Planning Enforcement
- Licensing
- Environmental Protection
- Community Safety and safeguarding.
These powers are used to effectively disrupt the activity of local Organised Crime Groups. It works to minimise the impact on communities in North Somerset.
Examples include:
- raising awareness of serious and organised crime to increase intelligence gathering
- sharing information about properties being used to enable crime
- tackling traders of illicit goods that may have links to other criminal activity
- closing venues that are operating illegally or permitting the sale of illicit goods
- using anti-social behaviour tools and powers to disrupt activity that may be linked to SOC
