Serious organised crime news 22/09/2008 Scottish parliament to debate organised crime and money laundering activity

Kenny McAskill, Justice Secretary for Scotland, yesterday set out proposals to combat organised crime and money laundering activity in the new legislative session. The Criminal Justice and Licensing Bill is intended to achieve this through methods including the creation of offences covering the actions of accountants and lawyers who facilitate the ability of others to live off the proceeds of crime.

Questioned in the Scotsman, Mr McAskill said, Our proposals will include a new offence of directing or controlling serious organised crime and will also target those who help the Mr Bigs control their empires and manage their financial affairs. We will also propose measures to encourage the greater use of financial reporting orders and to improve the arrangements for police surveillance to save on time-consuming bureaucracy.

The financial reporting orders referred to allow prosecutors to call for those who breach fraud or money laundering law, and who can be shown to be likely to reoffend, to be compelled to report all future financial transactions within a specified period to the police.

Moving Scotland Forward: The Governments Programme for Scotland 2008-9, the document which sets out the Scottish parliaments legislative priorities for the coming year, includes the intention to protect the national economy by working to spearhead and co-ordinate the fight against serious organised crime. The forthcoming Bill will, it is hoped, meet this priority through its attack on those who take part in such crime, benefit from it, or enable it by turning a blind eye to fraudulent, criminal and money-laundering activity.

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