2011 Annual Report of the Interception of Communications Commissioner
5.
SUCCESSES
I continue to be impressed, as in previous years, with the role that lawful interception and
communications data acquisition play in the operational successes of law enforcement agencies in
the UK. Interception remains a powerful technique in the investigation of many kinds of crime and
threats to national security. Many of the largest drug-trafficking, fiscal evasion, people-trafficking,
counter-terrorism and wider national security and serious crime investigative successes of the
recent past have in some way involved the use of interception and communications data.
The following case summaries are just a sample of a large number of operations that have
featured in the national media or have been identified during inspections where lawful interception
or communications data (or both) have played a role in a successful outcome. Thus I hope to
highlight the successful use of lawful intercept to combat serious crime as well as the effective
use of communications data by the security services, the police and local councils. I have, as in
previous years, in order not to prejudice national security, provided detailed examples of other
operations in the confidential supplementary reports.
Lawful interception and communications data techniques cannot be used in isolation; they are
part of a range of investigative techniques I have seen used by security and law enforcement
agencies, but only when a case can be made that it is necessary and proportionate to do so.
Although huge intelligence and investigative benefits can be reaped from lawful interception and
communications data, they have the potential to be highly intrusive tools.That is why the tests of
necessity and proportionality outlined in RIPA and the scrutiny provided by myself, my inspectors
and others tasked with intelligence oversight are crucial.
I have provided further case studies illustrating operational successes in other parts of this
report.
Case Study 1 – SOCA use of Lawful Intercept Product
Background: This report concerns a SOCA investigation undertaken between 2009
and 2012. The details have been sanitised. Originating from a SOCA operation into the
money laundering activities of a UK-based organised crime group (OCG), two senior
members of the OCG were identified as controlling its activities. The operational team
had encountered significant difficulties in using conventional investigation techniques. As a
result, SOCA considered it necessary and proportionate for these OCG members to be
subject to interception.
Interception commenced in early 2009, quickly confirming that the OCG was well
established, and involved not only in money laundering but also in the importation of
significant amounts of Class A drugs.
Operational Activity: Intercept intelligence made it possible to identify individuals involved
in the transportation and storage of drugs on behalf of the OCG. The intelligence enabled
SOCA officers to seize the drugs as they were being delivered to OCG members. This
resulted in a number of arrests and the seizure of over 100 kilograms of Class A drugs,
1,400 kilograms of Class B drugs and the dismantling of this section of the OCG.
Intelligence later established that a linked OCG was importing Class A drugs using an
alternative method. Interception enabled these individuals to be identified and disclosed
the location of a consignment of drugs.This intelligence resulted in the seizure of over 150
kilograms of Class A drugs and over £300,000 in cash.
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