Britain's National Crime Agency launched

The NCA officers seen during a training exercise. Credit: Press Association

Home Secretary Theresa May unveiled the government's new Serious and Organised Crime strategy today with the launch of the UK National Crime Agency (NCA).

The new agency will be tasked with leading the fight against the estimated 37,000 criminals involved in serious and organised crime afflicting the UK, as UK Editor Lucy Manning reports.

Read: Newly formed National Crime Agency goes live

Dubbed 'Britain's FBI', the new organisation will have an annual budget of £463 million for resources, and £31 million for capital, according to the new director general, Keith Bristow.

It will consist of more than 4,000 officers, who will work across four commands:

  • Organised crime

  • Economic crime

  • Border policing

  • Child exploitation and online protection

120 officers will be placed overseas in 40 different countries as part of the agency's work.

The launch of the NCA marks the end of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), which is to be absorbed into the new organisation.

NCA director general Keith Bristow said the new agency will mean no criminal will be above the reach of the law.

Labour however have said the NCA is simply a rebrand of existing organisations with a 20% funding cut.

Read: Labour: NCA doesn't match the government's hype

Shadow policing minister David Hanson said the capabilities of the agency are no match for the government's "hype."

He also said the fact that the organisation will not work throughout Northern Ireland (unlike SOCA) means there will be a "serious operational gap"

Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee Keith Vaz also questioned whether the new agency would be properly funded.

Read: Vaz asks whether the NCA's budget will be big enough

The NCA will be recruiting "special" officers, volunteers like special constables in police forces. Experts with backgrounds such as in cyber or the financial sector are set to join the agency.

The new agency made its first arrests this morning as part of a suspected crackdown on suspected identity fraudsters as officers carried out early morning raids in Liverpool, Warrington, Bromley, Brentwood and Troon.