Technology trends and behaviour that were strengthened during the global pandemic have continued to develop

Technology is a key enabler of serious and organised crime. Criminals continuously adapt to and take advantage of technological developments and changes in user behaviour. 

Criminals access a variety of easy to use and often inexpensive technology in an effort to anonymise their communications, hide their identities, and evade law enforcement. They increasingly take advantage of communication tools ranging from virtual private networks and commercially available secure messaging apps with end-to-end encryption as standard, to more sophisticated devices costing thousands of pounds. The growth in international markets for technology such as smartphones and the internet has provided criminals around the globe with increasing access to new tools, techniques, other criminal networks, and potential victims. Developments in technology use by serious and organised criminals present both challenges and opportunities for law enforcement.

As more people live more of their lives online, society is at greater risk from online criminals. The internet offers criminals a global reach to access personal information to find and exploit victims. Both UK and international offenders are targeting UK society, ranging from individual victims of fraud to cybercrime against UK industry. Children in the UK and overseas are at risk of being exploited by child sexual abuse offenders, who victimise them via online offending and have the ability to seek out potential victims to commit contact abuse. The dark web is also used to commit many types of serious and organised crime, including child sexual abuse, cybercrime, fraud, and illicit commodity sales.

Organised crime groups exploit publicly available technology to enhance their operations, such as the use of Bluetooth and GPS tracking devices to track and monitor illicit shipments. 

Cryptocurrency remains an important facilitator of criminal transactions, for laundering funds, paying for goods and services on the dark web, and making ransom demands. Their legitimate use by the public also provides criminals with fraud and theft opportunities. 

A developing feature of modern technology is the ease with which it can be used, providing greater opportunities for illegal use. The increasing adoption of automation and smart technology, such as internet or Bluetooth connected devices, whilst reducing the opportunity for human interference, increases the risk of cybercrime through the manipulation of underlying IT systems. 

Extended reality technologies, such as augmented and virtual reality, have been identified as evolving technology threats, particularly in child sexual abuse. This technology provides the ability to manipulate or merge virtual and physical worlds. It is highly likely these spaces will be used for serious and organised crime purposes, such as fraud, as the existing technology develops.

It is likely that as artificial intelligence capabilities advance, criminals will seek to exploit the opportunities it offers. Large language models and image generation tools are already being used for illicit purposes in child sexual abuse, cybercrime, and fraud offending. The proliferation and increasing accessibility of artificial intelligence technologies is almost certainly enabling some criminals to commit crimes at a scale and sophistication previously beyond their capabilities. 

There is potential for law enforcement agencies and the private sector to use artificial intelligence to detect and prevent crime. For example, machine learning algorithms can help to quickly and accurately analyse large volumes of data to identify suspicious transactions and patterns that may indicate fraudulent investment activity.

Commodity-based serious and organised crime in the UK, such as the supply of drugs and firearms, relies on international flows of illicit goods and the ability of organised crime groups to circumvent controls at the UK border.

Passenger and freight traffic continue to be exploited by organised crime groups. Smuggling activity across most modes of transport has generally remained consistent; however, in 2023 there were significant increases in detections of illicit goods, in particular cannabis, being smuggled via international parcel operators, the postal service, and by air passengers.

Organised crime groups also seek to exploit the UK border outbound controls, for the exports of stolen vehicles and machinery, illicit cash, and drug supply to lucrative overseas markets.

The nature of the UK coastline and the accessibility of many maritime ports makes the UK vulnerable to the threat of criminals exploiting general maritime for smuggling commodities. There has been an increasing number of instances of Class A drugs being found washed-up on British and Irish shores in 2023 which is likely an indicator that the general maritime method is being used more frequently. Similarly, general aviation is a mode abused by criminals who have access to light aircraft and/or helicopters capable of making flights to numerous airfields and suitable landing areas in the UK. Law enforcement continues to monitor this mode in order to develop understanding of the threat.

Significant challenges facing UK law enforcement include the overseas legalisation of commodities which remain illicit in the UK. Cannabis production in North America, for example, and its online marketing, has likely created a demand in the UK. While users in the UK are paying a premium for North American cannabis, it remains largely indistinguishable in terms of its chemical composition, from cannabis supplied to the UK from other sources. Regardless, this demand has resulted in cannabis seizures from the USA and Canada more than doubling at the UK border in 2023.

Over the last decade, processes at the UK border have become more technologically advanced. Developments such as the automation of container movement and the use of telematics present a range of risks and opportunities, for both organised crime groups and law enforcement. As a result of legislative changes following the UK’s exit from the European Union, UK law enforcement will, in future, have access to pre-arrival data which will give details of shipments arriving from the European Union.

The Common Travel Area, and particularly the routes between Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Great Britain, continues to be exploited by criminals for the purposes of immigration crime, as well as smuggling illicit commodities and excise fraud. Routes between the European Union and Ireland are being used by criminals to avoid border checks at UK ports. 

Technological advancements in mobile devices have enhanced criminals’ capabilities to track goods across the border in recent years, particularly in relation to Bluetooth tracking devices. Such trackers are a cheap and accessible tool for organised crime groups to monitor the movements of their illicit goods, and were discovered much more frequently by law enforcement in 2023. 

Corruption and the use of ‘insiders’ in both the public and private sector enables organised crime groups to carry out their offending. 

Employees in job roles that can be used to facilitate the activities of criminals, such as in law enforcement, the Prison Service, logistics, and at the UK border are particularly vulnerable to targeting by organised crime groups. Corrupt insiders are used to facilitate the movement of illicit commodities, divulge sensitive information and circumvent security measures, reducing the likelihood of law enforcement detection. 

Individuals working in sectors such as accounting, banking, and legal services are also vulnerable to targeting by organised crime groups, as these roles can provide valuable assistance in complex money laundering and fraudulent activity. These professional enablers are integral to the threat from serious and organised crime.

The UK continues to face the challenge of its financial services and corporate structures being exploited to launder the proceeds of both international and domestic bribery and corruption.