Justice Minister Naomi Long has praised work to disrupt organised crime groups after recently published figures indicated 'another year of excellent results'.

During 2023/24, according to the Annual Report and Threat Assessment for the Organised Crime Task Force (OCTF), 61 organised crime groups operating in Northern Ireland were being investigated by PSNI and 496 potential victims of modern slavery and human trafficking were referred to the National Referral Mechanism – a UK framework to identify and support victims.

The 94-page report, which outlines OCTF partners' efforts to thwart drugs, counterfeit goods, offensive weapons and cyber crime across Northern Ireland, also states police made 222 arrests related to organise crime groups during that timeframe.

Discussing the report, Minister Long said: "I am grateful for all the agencies involved in delivering another year of excellent results and for their continued, relentless efforts to tackle organised criminality and seize the proceeds of crime. "Organised crime groups show no regard for the harm they are causing to individuals and communities, they are only interested in lining their own pockets. As the results of OCTF partner agencies' joint operations show - the harm caused to individuals and communities by these criminals will not be tolerated."

Further key points from the report include:

• 8,472 drug seizures were made by PSNI;

• 187 restraint orders, cash seizures, lifted assets and account freezing orders were made;

• Cocaine is the most seized Class A drug in Northern Ireland – accounting for 94% of all incidents involving Class A drugs.

Minister Long praised the OCTF partners' collective efforts to identify emerging issues and said: "It is assessed that 75% of organised crime groups are involved in the supply of drugs, so police alone seizing drugs with an estimated street value of £21m with Border Force and National Crime Agency involved in further seizures, is a significant blow to these groups.

"The excellent work and persistence in pursuing criminals who set out to exploit, threaten and spread misery across communities should not be underestimated but everybody’s help is needed to combat organised crime."