Call to hit cross-border crooks

The Irish and British governments were urged today to set up an all-Ireland agency to hit the pockets of criminal and paramilitary gangs on both sides of the border.

A delegation from the SDLP was due to put the idea to Justice Minister Michael McDowell at a meeting in Dublin.

SDLP justice spokesman Alban Maginness said the increasing activity of organised crime gangs and paramilitary groups on both sides of the border demanded action on an all-Ireland basis.

“That means the creation of an All-Ireland Criminal Assets Agency as soon as possible,” he said.

“The commitment of the British and Irish Declaration to a programme of North-South justice co-operation must be honoured and accelerated.

“This is the future. People need protection and they need the better administration of justice. These proposals create that opportunity.”

Earlier this month, Northern Ireland’s Organised Crime Taskforce estimated in its latest threat assessment that more than 230 gangs are involved in illegal activity in the North.

Criminal gangs have engaged in drug dealing, tobacco smuggling and prostitution.

However paramilitary groups are also involved.

A five-million-litre-a-year fuel laundering enterprise is believed to have helped fund the Provisional IRA.

The Independent Monitoring Commission also claimed last month the Provisionals run large tobacco, alcohol and VAT fraud scams.

The Ulster Defence Association, Northern Ireland’s biggest loyalist organisation, has also been dealing in drugs, armed robberies and is involved in running prostitution.

Over the past year the Assets Recovery Agency in Northern Ireland seized around £3m (€4.4m) in assets.

The Criminal Assets Bureau has also operated successfully in the Republic.

Newry and Armagh MLA Dominic Bradley said: “As Brian Cowen said last week, policing is being transformed.

“One of the areas of less progress has been Garda-PSNI secondments, exchanges and direct entry. This is crucial.

“The Oversight Commissioner (for police reform in Northern Ireland) has been critical.

“These measures cannot wait. The Irish Government and the Garda must pick up the pace.”

The SDLP delegation, which was due to include Policing Board member Alex Attwood, was also expected to discuss the Nally Report on the 1998 Omagh bomb and the forthcoming referendum on citizenship in the Republic.