Economic and Specialist Crime
Encyclopedia
Economic and Specialist Crime is a branch of the Specialist Crime Directorate
within London
's Metropolitan Police Service
. The unit's main responsibility is to both investigate and take steps to prevent fraud, along with a wide range of other fraudulent crimes which require specialist knowledge and training to investigate. The unit was previously known as the Fraud Squad, or by its previous Specialist Operations
designation, SO6.
due to their expertise in business and stock market fraud, and the Metropolitan Police
with their investigative experience.
Due to the increasing complexity of business fraud as time progressed, and hence the lessened chances of securing a successful prosecution, saw the implementation of the Serious Fraud Office
in 1987. Due to the Serious Fraud Office making C6 obsolete, the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police reverted to having their own Fraud Squads. The MPS' was then called SO6. Staffed by about 140 detectives, specialised teams within the Squad included the Commercial Crimes Intelligence Bureau, a Financial Investigations Unit, the Fraud Prevention Office, a Surveillance Unit, a Crime Management Unit and a fledgling Computer Crime Unit.
In October 2000, the Fraud Squad was renamed Economic and Specialist Crime as part of the Specialist Crime Directorate
, and its remit was expanded substantially to cover a wider range of financial and economic crime and fraud. Several other autonomous units, such as the Arts and Antiquities Squad, were merged with the new unit.
The Money Laundering Investigation Team (MLIT) formed in 2003 has a remit to deal with high-level money laundering
, and also are active in removing substantial amounts of criminal cash from the organised criminal networks working in and around London.
Specialist Crime Directorate
The Specialist Crime Directorate is one of the main branches of the London Metropolitan Police Service. It deals with a wide range of criminality from murder to organised crime. Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick is currently the head of the directorate...
within London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Metropolitan Police Service
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
. The unit's main responsibility is to both investigate and take steps to prevent fraud, along with a wide range of other fraudulent crimes which require specialist knowledge and training to investigate. The unit was previously known as the Fraud Squad, or by its previous Specialist Operations
Specialist Operations
Specialist Operations is a directorate of the Metropolitan Police. At its peak, SO was a group of twenty specialist units, which were formed to give the Metropolitan Police a specialist policing capability. The SO designation was implemented in 1986 as part of Sir Kenneth Newman's restructuring of...
designation, SO6.
History
Formed in 1946, the unit was originally known as Metropolitan and City Police Fraud Department or "C6 Branch". It was the first integrated cross-border, co-operative unit set up jointly between London's two police services; the City of London PoliceCity of London Police
The City of London Police is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the City of London, England, including the Middle and Inner Temple. The service responsible for law enforcement within the rest of Greater London is the Metropolitan Police Service, a separate...
due to their expertise in business and stock market fraud, and the Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
with their investigative experience.
Due to the increasing complexity of business fraud as time progressed, and hence the lessened chances of securing a successful prosecution, saw the implementation of the Serious Fraud Office
Serious Fraud Office
The Serious Fraud Office may refer to:*Serious Fraud Office *Serious Fraud Office...
in 1987. Due to the Serious Fraud Office making C6 obsolete, the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police reverted to having their own Fraud Squads. The MPS' was then called SO6. Staffed by about 140 detectives, specialised teams within the Squad included the Commercial Crimes Intelligence Bureau, a Financial Investigations Unit, the Fraud Prevention Office, a Surveillance Unit, a Crime Management Unit and a fledgling Computer Crime Unit.
In October 2000, the Fraud Squad was renamed Economic and Specialist Crime as part of the Specialist Crime Directorate
Specialist Crime Directorate
The Specialist Crime Directorate is one of the main branches of the London Metropolitan Police Service. It deals with a wide range of criminality from murder to organised crime. Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick is currently the head of the directorate...
, and its remit was expanded substantially to cover a wider range of financial and economic crime and fraud. Several other autonomous units, such as the Arts and Antiquities Squad, were merged with the new unit.
The Money Laundering Investigation Team (MLIT) formed in 2003 has a remit to deal with high-level money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
, and also are active in removing substantial amounts of criminal cash from the organised criminal networks working in and around London.
Structure
The Economic and Specialist Crime OCU is made up of several teams and sub-units:- Police National E-Crime UnitPolice National E-Crime UnitThe Police National E-Crime Unit is a part of the Specialist Crime Directorate of the Metropolitan Police Service in London, dedicated to combating e-crime in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
, The - Fraud Teams
- Dedicated Cheque and Plastic Crime Unit
- Money Laundering Investigation Team
- Financial Investigation Development Units
- Specialist Crime Operations Team
- Stolen Vehicle Unit
- Arts and Antiques Unit
- Computer Crime Unit
- Wildlife Crime Unit
- Extradition and International Assistance Unit
- Criminal Justice Protection Unit
- Regional Asset Recovery Team