Northern Ireland crime gangs are increasingly developing international links as a means of funding their criminal networks, a British government minister warned today.
Ian Pearson, Britain's Security Minister and Chairman of the UK Organised Crime Task Force, highlighted at an international crime conference in Belfast that trade in counterfeit goods was increasingly funding terrorist campaigns, not just in Northern Ireland but across the world.
He said: “Whilst a high percentage of counterfeit products appearing in the marketplace in Northern Ireland are manufactured on a large scale locally, it is known that top level organised criminal gangs are increasingly developing international links and sourcing their products overseas.”
He said that as borders are opening up to more and more legitimate trade, it was essential that law enforcement agencies, and those working in trade and industry, worked together in a co-ordinated, structured way, “to ensure that our borders are firmly closed to organised criminals".
Addressing members of the Interpol Intellectual Property Crime Action Group, he spoke of the increasing threat from international terrorism, and how trade in counterfeit goods was funding terrorist campaigns, not only in Northern Ireland, but across the world.
“It is imperative, not just for our economic well-being, but for the protection of our citizens, that we strip organised criminals of their business, their ability to operate and their wealth.
“International Property Crime must not be lucrative for criminals anywhere,” he stressed.
Source: Ireland On-line
