CONSERVATIVES in Barrow and Furness have welcomed Government plans to crackdown on organised crime which plagues many counties across the country.
Security Minister Ben Wallace will announce a £48 million pot for 2019-20 to be used to tackle such things as so-called county lines gangs, organised crime networks who often draw vulnerable young people into illicit cross-county drug dealing
The moneywill see more funding to the multi-agency National Economic Crime Centre to bring together partners across government as well as from the public and private sectors to combat economic crime including money laundering and fraud.
There will also be investment in new specially-trained police officers to improve and coordinate fraud investigations at local, regional and national levels and a recruitment drive for more officers who will focus on investigating serious and organised criminals.
The cash will also be used to help develop the latest technology to help specially trained officer in their day to day work.
Welcoming the news, Simon Fell, spokesman for Barrow and Furness Conservatives, said: “Any extra funding to help our police in their work is most welcome.
“County lines gangs are a major problem for us in Barrow and Furness as I know they are elsewhere across the country. These gangs target the most vulnerable in society, causing misery to the lives of the communities they then wreck.
“I am pleased that the Government has announced these measures to get tough on organised crime. We need to give out the message that no one is above the law.”