The Serious Organised Crime Agency is set to swoop on mafia-style gangs operating within Northern Ireland in a major crackdown on organised crime, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal today

The agency is closing the net on a number of gangsters and crime bosses involved in the drugs trade, trafficking and cigarette and fuel smuggling.

Intelligence officers have also identified gangs involved in new crimes such as counterfeit goods, identity fraud and e-crime.

SOCA regional director Bob Lauder today revealed that major intelligence operations are currently under way here and that a number of arrests are set to be made within weeks.

Mr Lauder said that the UK, including Northern Ireland, is a very attractive market for organised crime gangs in terms of profit and prices.

He said there are fears foreign mafia-style gangs could have their sights set here as a new stomping ground, but added that more than 4,000 employees are working worldwide to disrupt gangs targeting Northern Ireland and the rest of UK.

“Criminals will handle whatever makes the most money — drugs, people, counterfeit goods — and they use the same supply routes irrespective of the product. It’s our role to block these routes,” he said.

“We have the largest overseas network bar America’s Drug Enforcement Administration, with staff stationed in countries such as Afghanistan and Colombia to combat illegal activities at source,” he said.

Mr Lauder added: “Criminals in Northern Ireland have tended to focus in the past on the drugs trade, cigarette and fuel smuggling. But the global economic downturn is having an impact on the types of crime organised gangs are turning to.

“Serious organised criminals are inventive. If one opportunity is closed down they will look for other ways to make money. This is even more evident in a shrinking economy which brings fresh potential they can exploit.

“We expect to find evidence of increasing amounts of counterfeit goods, identity fraud and e-crime for example, targeting the more vulnerable people in society. It’s a time for people to be especially vigilant for deals which seem too good to be true.”

As part of the agency’s operations against organised criminal activity the unit is set to go after the assets of crime bosses.

“There is no question that we will use the full potential of civil recovery to pursue criminals and their assets,” he said.

“SOCA is completely committed to identifying and removing criminal assets in every case we investigate. Since the merger with the Assets Recovery Agency last year we have an even greater range of options open to us including cash seizure, criminal confiscation, civil recovery and tax.”

Mr Lauder said he recognises the cost involved in civil recovery which is why the agency takes a decision “on a case by case basis”.

He added: “We have strong investigative teams, high quality lawyers, and financial investigators throughout the UK who specialise in both civil and criminal areas of asset recovery.

“This is a powerful combination for undermining serious organised crime and reducing its impact on Northern Ireland. As the criminals get more inventive, we keep pace with them, and where we can we get ahead. In effect we have a 21st century response to 21st century crime”.

SOCA has been operating in Northern Ireland for almost three years working with the PSNI and HMRC, and in the Republic with gardai, Revenue and Criminal Assets Bureau.

In December the agency charged three people in Wales in connection with trafficking women for prostitution in an operation involving the PSNI, An Garda Siochana, and Dyfed Powys Police in Wales.

In November it helped in a massive cocaine bust off the coast of Cork in which cocaine estimated to be worth £406m was seized.