Crime Reduction - Helping to Reduce Crime in Your Area

Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA)

The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) was launched on 1st April 2006. Its aim is to reduce the harm caused to the UK by serious organised crime, which has been estimated at upwards of £20bn a year.

SOCA was established by the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (SOCAP) and brought together the National Crime Squad, the National Criminal Intelligence Service, the part of HM Revenue and Customs that dealt with drug trafficking and associated criminal finance, and the part of the UK Immigration Service that dealt with organised immigration crime.  SOCA also absorbed the key functions of the Assets Recovery Agency on 1 April 2008 (as provided for by the Serious Crime Act 2007).  SOCA’s current workforce is about 4,000.

SOCA is an executive Non-Departmental Public Body sponsored by, but operationally independent from, the Home Office. It is governed by a Board which is responsible for ensuring that SOCA discharges its statutory responsibilities and meets the strategic priorities set by the Home Secretary. The Director General is responsible for everything SOCA does operationally and administratively, and for its day to day management. As Accounting Officer, he is responsible for SOCA’s expenditure and accounting arrangements.

SOCAP requires SOCA to publish an annual plan before the start of the financial year, setting out how it intends to exercise its functions during that year, and an annual report as soon as possible after the end of the financial year. SOCA’s annual plan for 2008-09 can be found on its website.

Visit the SOCA website        

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Last update: Wednesday, October 22, 2008