Elite team to target crime lords

More than 80 guns were seized in the latest serious crime crackdown

An elite crime-fighting unit is being set up in Scotland, in the latest bid to tackle gangsters profiting from serious and organised crime.

A team of 40 officers will start work at the Scottish Intelligence Coordination Unit early next year.

It has been created by the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency.

It was revealed as Strathclyde Police announced they had arrested 134 people and seized 80 firearms in their latest crackdown on serious criminal activity.

During a two-month campaign officers from Scotland's largest police force also recovered drugs with an estimated street value of £7.9m and seized more than £295,000 in cash.

More than £3.3m of criminal assets were also identified for seizure.

This particular phase of the force's wider efforts to target organised crime involved divisional officers, specialist units and partner agencies working together in a number of targeted operations to disrupt and deter criminal networks.

Bad people are being locked up, guns and drugs are being taken off our streets and those who prey upon our communities are being stripped of their assets Kenny MacAskill MSP Justice Secretary

Officers visited 603 private security sites.

Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton said: "I am optimistic about what we have achieved so far, but I want to stress this is not just a two-month campaign for us.

"We are fully committed to waging war on these serious and organised criminals. These individuals think nothing of using violence and intimidation in protecting their operations and money.

"We are determined to change that and improve the lives of decent law-abiding citizens and we are not alone in our bid to achieve that."

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill attended a press conference to mark the success of the latest crackdown and confirmed the creation of the new intelligence unit.

It will be made up, in part, of staff from the prison service, the UK Border Agency, and customs officials, and drive the fight against human trafficking, fraud and other serious and organised crime.

Its mission will be to collect and collate information from police forces and other agencies, not only in Scotland, but around the world.

Specialist people

Financial analysts and forensic accountants will help source and assess the intelligence gathered.

Mr MacAskill said: "We recognise as a government that some of the specialist people we have to provide to tackle serious and organised crime are not just rank and file police officers.

"We also need to provide financial analysts and IT experts.

"This was something that the SCDEA wanted to do and we have provided the funding. The proof of the pudding is in the eating."

He added: "I think what we are seeing today is that after two months of a dedicated campaign by Strathclyde Police they are having an effect.

"Bad people are being locked up, guns and drugs are being taken off our streets and those who prey upon our communities are being stripped of their assets."