The National Crime Agency (NCA) has published new guidance produced by the International Foreign Bribery Taskforce (IFBT), which highlights key indicators of foreign bribery. The IFBT, which includes agencies from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the US, developed the guidance to help members of the public and organisations, particularly those operating in high-risk sectors, identify potential indicators of foreign bribery and report concerns to the appropriate authorities. It highlights common red flags that may indicate bribery risks, including: (1) the use of third-party agents or shell companies; (2) unexplained large payments to overseas entities; (3) contracts awarded without competitive bidding; (4) excessive gifts or hospitality provided to politically exposed persons (PEPs); and (5) links to jurisdictions with high corruption or secrecy scores. The IFBT encourages prompt reporting of suspicious activity to relevant law enforcement or anti-corruption agencies.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has published an updated list of ancillary orders imposed on serious offenders once they have left prison. According to the NCA, ancillary orders are aimed to support the NCA’s lifetime management of serious offenders and prevent future offending. The orders include Serious Crime Prevention Orders (SCPOs), Slavery and Trafficking Prevention Orders, Financial Reporting Orders and Travel Restriction Orders which make offenders less attractive to organised crime gangs looking to re-recruit or work with them.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has published its system priorities for tackling economic crime in 2025. The document outlines nine equal-priority areas including money laundering, international fraud, criminal cash movement, money mule exploitation and crypto-asset abuse. The priorities aim to help the regulated sector allocate resources effectively while maintaining regulatory compliance. The document estimates £12bn in criminal proceeds are generated annually in the UK, primarily from drugs and excise fraud.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has recovered land in County Armagh which is suspected of being purchased through the proceeds of fraud and laundered money by Patrick Joseph White. The plot of land has been subject to a Property Freezing Order since May 2023 which prevented anyone from selling or transferring ownership of the land. On 14 February 2024, the NCA obtained a Recovery Order by consent at the High Court in Belfast to recover the land.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has secured a £17.5m forfeiture agreement from UAE-registered Glory Line Goods Wholesalers following a civil recovery investigation. The case stemmed from suspicious transactions of CNH 200m (£20.5m) between the company and a Hong Kong-based customer in September 2023. The NCA obtained an Account Freezing Order (AFO) in November 2023 after discovering fraudulent auditor reports submitted to a UK Authorised Payment Institution. The forfeiture agreement was reached without any finding or admission of criminal liability by Westminster magistrates' court.

Corporate Crime analysis: Liam Lane, associate at Peters & Peters considers the wider impact of the recent forfeiture of sanctioned funds by the National Crime Agency (NCA).

The National Crime Agency (NCA) and City of London Police coordinated Operation Henhouse, resulting in 422 arrests and £7.5m in seized assets nationwide. The operation, involving all UK police forces and Regional Organised Crime Units, saw £3.9m frozen through account freezing orders and 362 cease and desist notices issued. The results represent a 91% increase in cash seizures compared to the previous year's operation. The initiative targeted various fraud schemes, with individual forces reporting significant recoveries including £2.7m in Merseyside and £1m returned to an investment scam victim in Kent.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has reported that a DJ and nightclub owner in East London has surrendered his music equipment after it was linked to suspected cyber fraud. The equipment was seized as part of an investigation into the QQAAZZ criminal group, after it was found that the equipment was bought using stolen funds. QQAAZZ used shell companies, mule accounts and cryptocurrency to disguise that the money had been stolen in cyber-attacks on companies in the UK, the USA and elsewhere. The NCA continues to investigate the UK branch of QQAAZZ, which provides money laundering services to cyber crime groups.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has reported that it supported the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), alongside the Crown Prosecution Service and UK Central Authority, in an investigation into Banmeet Singh. The NCA has said that the cross-border investigation resulted in Singh pleading guilty to supplying hundreds of kilograms in illegal drugs on a global scale, and the seizure of US$150m in cryptocurrency and cash. The seizure is the largest single seizure in DEA history. The NCA has said that Singh was extradited to the US on 19 March 2023 and is the eighth member of his organised crime group to have been convicted of drug trafficking charges.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has reported that the head of an alleged organised crime group that smuggles Albanian migrants to farm cannabis has been arrested in North Wales. The NCA arrested a second man in North Wales and a third man on the M6. NCA officers are appealing for information to trace Albanian national Jeton Memia, 29, who has links to Manchester and Southend in Essex, and Trevor Williams, 61, of Ruthin, North Wales. According to the NCA, the three were arrested on suspicion of conspiring to cultivate and distribute cannabis and money laundering. NCA officers discovered two rigid inflatable boats, quantities of cash, crack cocaine, cannabis and drug paraphernalia connected to cannabis farms during searches associated with the arrests.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has reported that the former Chief of Staff to the Madagascan President has been found guilty of bribery. Romy Andrianarisoa and associate Philippe Tabuteau requested money in exchange for helping UK-based company, Gemfields, in obtaining an exclusive mining joint venture with the Government of Madagascar. Andrianarisoa was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court on 20 February 2024.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has reported that Peter Virdee, also known as Hardip Singh, has been charged with bribing a foreign public official and PV Energy Ltd has been charged with failing to prevent bribery at Westminster magistrates’ court on 23 May 2024. This charge relates to a multi-million pound NCA bribery investigation. It is alleged that between January 2015 and July 2017 Virdee bribed Asot Michael, a Member of Parliament and Government Minister of Tourism, Economic Development Investment and Energy for Antigua and Barbuda, to benefit PV Energy Ltd, the company he is a director of.