The UK's equivalent of the FBI launched today and aims to use hi-tech intelligence systems to smash organised crime gangs.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke announced the launch of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), saying it will play a vital role in tackling drug trafficking, organised immigration crime, money laundering and identity theft.

The National Hi-Tech Crime Unit and more than 4,000 staff from other agencies including the National Crime Squad, National Crime Intelligence Service, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), will move over to SOCA.

The creation of the organised crime fighting agency will increase intelligence gathering in the UK and use a multi-disciplinary approach similar to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation to target crimes, such as financial fraud and online identity theft scams.

Charles Clarke says organised crime is a massive and growing problem in the UK, costing the country more than £20bn a year.

'Drug trafficking intelligence officers from HMRC and specialist organised immigration crime officers from the Immigration Service will work together with officers from the National Crime Squad and National Criminal Intelligence Agency to exploit hi-tech 21st century technology and uncover the new wave of crime bosses,' he said.

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) welcomed the creation of SOCA, saying the combination of law enforcement networks will be a formidable force against crime gangs.

'The ruthlessness, growing sophistication, and international reach, of criminal organisations demands that the UK is able to confront and take on criminality of this scale,' said ACPO president Ken Jones.

What do you think? Email us at: mailto:feedback@computing.co.uk