A new organised supply chain crime intelligence desk has been

A new organised supply chain crime intelligence desk has been launched by Opal, UK policing’s national intelligence unit for serious organised acquisitive crime, which will develop strategic and tactical intelligence packages for forces to help them tackle the increasingly sophisticated efforts of organised crime groups that divert goods through cybercrime, create ghost companies to steal contracts from businesses, and target warehouses and depots, as Opal Head James Taylor told Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons.

❝We have seen an increase in offending, particularly since more retail went online during Covid, and certainly an increase in violence with drivers being subjected to serious violent crime with weapons... This is organised crime, no doubt about it.❞ - Jim Taylor, Head of Opal

❝The six-strong team of intelligence officers and analysts will develop strategic and tactical intelligence packages for forces in partnership with NaVCIS. They will identify OCGs and networks operating within or against supply chains, and co-ordinate cross-force and multi-agency activity.❞

❝We are not a shortcut to recording crime ... But we have a helicopter view across all supply chain crime. We can see across businesses a series coming together, we can link gangs and start to join the dots to show how networks are operating.❞ - Jim Taylor, Head of Opal

❝Operational support is absolutely critical to our mission – without it there’s no point in doing the intelligence.❞ - Jim Taylor, Head of Opal

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