The Home Secretary will be launching the UK’s first ‘cybercrime’ unit today. The national law enforcement unit will be called the National Hi-tech Crime Unit (NHTCU) and will be dedicated to internet crime.

The unit will work in league with law enforcement experts from the National Crime Squad, the National Criminal Intelligence Service, HM Customs and Excise and police forces and the IT industry.

Mr Straw will be launching the London based NHTCU at the Science Museum in London, the cybercrime at the Science Museum today, where there is a six month cybercrime exhibition running. In his announcement, Mr Straw said 'The Government is committed to ensuring a safe and secure online environment for Internet users in the UK, by tackling hi-tech crime and ensuring our law enforcers have the tools to deal effectively with on-line crime. The significant cash injection of £25 million, which I announced last year, has established the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit'.

Mr Straw went on to say, 'It will improve the technical capability of the police to detect and investigate hi-tech crime, through the deployment of up to 80 law enforcement specialists, nationally and locally. New technologies bring enormous benefits to the legitimate user, but also offer opportunities for criminals, from those involved in financial fraud to paedophiles'.

'We are determined that the UK will be the best and safest place in the world to conduct and engage in e-commerce, and that our children receive the full protection they deserve online so they can surf the Net in safety'.

For further information on the Government’s policies on internet security visit at:
Home Office website Internet crime and security <a HREF=” homeoffice

Or visit the Internet Crime Forum website: Internet Crime Forum