CCB SP learns the ropes in SOCA
Superintendent (SP) Fong Kwok-wah of the Intelligence Division of Commercial Crime Bureau (CCB) attended a two-week attachment to the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) in London in September.
SOCA was formed in 2006 with the primary objective to combat serious crimes that affect the UK. These include Class "A" drugs, people smuggling and human trafficking, major firearm crime and money laundering. SOCA is not a police force, but is an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by, but operationally independent from, the Home Office. It was formed through the amalgamation of the National Crime Squad, National Criminal Intelligence Service, part of HM Revenue and Customs dealing with drug trafficking and associated criminal finance and part of UK Immigration dealing with organised immigration crime.
SOCA is an intelligence-led agency with law enforcement powers and harm reduction responsibilities. It is often considered as the UK version of the FBI.
Following a brief introduction to the Agency and a review of the scheduled attachment programme which was designed for officers engaged in "hard" crime investigation, SP Fong requested to include the element of economic crime in his training so as to make his attachment more related to his job in the Force. SOCA was very accommodating to the request and immediately re-arranged the programme.
"I was really impressed by their swift response. The tailor-made programme made my attachment more beneficial," said SP Fong.
During his attachment, SP Fong visited all the key white-collar crime investigation units within SOCA, including both the operation and investigation units. He said he appreciated the importance of intelligence exchanges and mutual cooperation among the 43 regional police forces in the UK. Communication on updated crime information between SOCA and its counterparts in Europe and INTERPOL was a daily occurrence. "I could really see that timely and accurate intelligence exchanges among the numerous law enforcement agencies are excellent tools to combat transnational crime."
Following visits to numerous operational units, SP Fong said: "I was really impressed by SOCA. It is really an extremely professional and dedicated organisation. My visit gave me the opportunity to see the work of this agency, and to discuss problems of investigations and concepts of best practice."
SP
Fong
with
a senior SOCA officer Nick Miles at the Metropolitan Police
Building