Northern Ireland’s Department of Justice has cracked down on business crime in conjunction with the PSNI over the past financial year, Justice Minister David Ford has said.

Speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly, Mr Ford said he was “acutely aware of the impact that business crime can have, not just on the individual retailed but also on the wider community”.

He continued: “Business crime – in whatever guise, whether cybercrime, fraud, counterfeit currency, intellectual property crime, shoplifting, theft or criminal damage - cannot be tackled by the business community or the criminal justice system working in isolation. Partnership working is essential if sustainable solutions are to be developed.

“At a strategic level this involves working with representatives from the business community and law enforcement bodies. At a local level Policing and Community Safety Partnerships engage with the local community to ensure issues of concern, including where appropriate business crime, are taken into account when they are shaping their local Action Plans.”

The Law Society of Northern Ireland has said that solicitor firms are increasingly being targeted by fraudsters, especially over the Internet.

It continues to work closely with the PSNI Cyber Crime Unit to share information and to increase awareness of the types of fraud currently circulating online.

Mr Ford added: “I can assure the business community and the wider public that we will continue to work to address business crime and bring those responsible to justice.”