UK Policing News

The suspected head of a major organised crime network has been extradited back to Romania to face trial, following an operation by the National Crime Agency. Florin Ghinea, 45, was detained by officers from the NCA’s Armed Operations Unit as he left a gym in Watford on Tuesday 14 August 2018. The operation was supported by Hertfordshire Police. Ghinea, who goes by the nickname “Ghenosu”, had been wanted by the Romanian authorities for human trafficking, conspiracy to murder, blackmail and money laundering. He was listed as one of Europol’s most wanted men. He stands accused of orchestrating a trafficking ring which saw Romanian women sent to Ireland, Finland and Duba…

NCA investigators find abuse material in just three clicks on open web “There is no barrier to offending and the tech industry needs to transform its response,” says NCA Director General The call reinforces the Government’s regulator announcement Police chiefs across Europe have backed a National Crime Agency demand for tech companies to transform their work to prevent child sexual abuse. There is a direct link between offenders viewing abuse material online and going on to sexually abuse children themselves. And in just three clicks NCA investigators found abuse material via common search engines showing that there are no barriers to offending on the open web. The NC…

The NCA has obtained a freezing order stopping the sale of 17 addresses as part of an ongoing investigation into a Leeds businessman with suspected links to serious organised criminals. The National Crime Agency has obtained a freezing order stopping the sale of 17 addresses as part of an ongoing investigation into a Leeds businessman with suspected links to serious organised criminals. Granted this week at the High Court, the Property Freezing Order (PFO) covers properties in Leeds, Cheshire and London worth approximately £10.5 million, which are under the control of 39-year-old Mansoor Mahmood Hussain. As part of the same investigation the NCA obtained a serious or…

A day of action by National Economic Crime Centre partners will target money service businesses (MSB) at risk of being used by criminals to launder money. Officers from HM Revenue & Customs and City of London Police will visit every MSB in the city. These businesses have been identified as potentially at risk of being used for money laundering or terrorist financing. Some 90 businesses will receive educational visits by the joint teams who will highlight the risks within the sector. MSBs are an attractive target for organised crime groups; the trade in high volumes of cash and the ability to convert denominations, currencies or transfer money electronically are a…

Ofcom set to be given power to police social media in UK 11 February 2020 Regulator Ofcom is set to be given the power to make tech firms responsible for protecting people from harmful content such as violence, terrorism, cyber-bullying and child abuse, the government will confirm on Wednesday. Platform…

A police driving instructor who clocked 122mph in an unmarked patrol car on the way to a private meeting was cleared of 11 speeding offences today https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/policeman-who-drove-private-meeting-21470928.amp

This retired police officer explained to LBC why the public are losing faith in the police force: "officers spend most of the time with a cup of tea in front of the computer inputting information. That's all they do." https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/matt-stadlen/retired-police-officer-explains-why-the-public-are/

Scotland Yard has been accused of “blatant discrimination” after an officer warned local businesses of the risk of hosting mourners from the Traveller community attending a funeral. https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/09/met-police-accused-of-blatant-discrimination-of-travellers

Three Albanian men have been jailed over a plot to supply high purity cocaine worth £506,000 and having false identity documents. Endri Cena, 26, and Denis Markeci, 29, both admitted possession with intent to supply class A drugs and possessing false identity documents after being caught in December last year. They were jailed for seven years and five years eight months respectively. Dorian Zili, 25, faced one charge of possessing false identity documents and was sentenced to six months when the trio appeared at Bristol Crown Court. NCA officers moved in to arrest the three men – all illegal immigrants and of no fixed abode - on 6 December as Zili left a property in …

A Frenchman who flew to the UK thinking he was going to sexually abuse a 12-year-old girl asked investigators who caught him: “What am I likely to get for this?” National Crime Agency officers arrested Mathieu Hilaire, 29, near a café in south east England on 10 December last year as he waited to meet someone he thought was a 12-year-old girl. NCA officers were waiting for him, and when arrested, Hilaire said: “Yes. Yes, ok, what am I likely to get for this?” He admitted meeting a child following sexual grooming and today at Southwark Crown Court was given a 16-month sentence suspended for two years by judge Jeffrey Pegden QC. The software developer had begun chatti…