Naomi Long

Under the proposals, serious organised crime would be defined as “crime involving two or more people acting together with one of their main purposes or activities being the commission or facilitation of a serious offence or a series of serious offences”.

Directing serious organised crime and participating in serious organised crime would become standalone criminal offences, while a connection with organised crime could be treated as an aggravating factor in sentencing for other offences.

The proposed new laws form part of a wider strategic approach to tackling serious organised crime set out in a new draft strategy developed by the Department of Justice (DOJ), which has separately gone out to consultation.

Justice Minister Naomi Long said: “These new powers would ensure that law enforcement in Northern Ireland is able to avail of robust and appropriate legislative tools to investigate, disrupt, prosecute and bring to justice those involved in serious organised crime.

“I want to send a strong message to criminals that the harm they cause to individuals and communities within Northern Ireland will not be tolerated.”