A WORLD-class crime-fighting hub which has helped to bring 'cold-case' killers to justice and dismantle organised crime is marking its 10th anniversary.
The £73m Scottish Crime Campus at Gartcosh near Glasgow brings together more than 20 agencies under one roof.
Recent successes include Operation Escalade, an international and multi-agency operation which saw several men convicted of serious organised crime and drug offences.
It also resulted in the conviction of Christopher Hughes, a major figure in Scotland’s serious organised crime network, for the murder of Martin Kok in the Netherlands. Hughes was sentenced to life in jail for the crime.
Operation Venetic, which culminated in the takedown of an encrypted communication service used exclusively by criminals, is regarded as one of the UK's most significant operations to disrupt serious organised crime.
It resulted in millions of pounds worth of drugs, including cocaine, heroin, cannabis and Etizolam tablets, being recovered, and has seen hundreds of people arrested and jailed for serious organised crime offences.
Justice Secretary and chair of the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce Angela Constance marked the anniversary at a special event on Wednesday (August 14), as Glasgow prepares to host the Interpol General Assembly in November.
She said: “The Scottish Crime Campus has led to a major change in how organisations share information and develop opportunities to detect and disrupt criminality.
“I want to thank all the agencies that work effectively together through the Campus to strengthen the fight against international criminals and congratulate them on their successes over the last decade.”
Kenny Donnelly, Deputy Crown Agent for specialist casework at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, said: “The overarching aim of everyone operating out of the Scottish Crime Campus is to systematically disrupt and dismantle those gangs who profit from serious organised crime by bringing them to justice through the Scottish courts."
He added: "During the first decade of the campus, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has upheld – and will continue to uphold - its unflinching commitment to using all available legal tools to achieve this aim: prosecuting perpetrators, seeking appropriate court orders to protect the public, and taking action to seize and confiscate the proceeds of crime.
“We will do this by maintaining the same unyielding approach to tackling serious organised crime through multi-agency collaboration.”
Police Scotland’s Chief Constable Jo Farrell said: “The Scottish Crime Campus is a world class hub for the joined-up working needed to smash serious organised crime and protect the public.”
Built at a cost of approximately £73 million on the site of former steelworks in North Lanarkshire and modelled on the curved shape of a DNA particle, the Scottish Crime was opened in June 2014 by Princess Anne, the Princess Royal. Around 1100 people work on the site.
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