Serious Organised Crime Agency

The Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca), "an FBI-style national law-enforcement body," is "the UK's first attempt to set up a single body to tackle major organised crime. The two main police services which previously dealt with organised crime, the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) and the National Crime Squad (NCS), have been merged into a single body. Additionally, relevant parts of Customs and Excise and the immigration service have been merged into the new body," Guardian Unlimited (UK) reported April 4, 2006.

"An 11-person board has been appointed by the Home Office, chaired by former MI5 director-general Sir Stephen Lander. Former NCS director-general Bill Hughes will remain as director-general of Soca." 

Related SourceWatch Resources

 * transnational organized crime