New powers and a new era: reshaping the fight against food crime

As someone who recommended the formation of the National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) in the aftermath of the 2013 horsemeat scandal, I have watched it evolve over the past 10 years. I can therefore say, with some degree of confidence, that the NFCU’s latest annual report marks a watershed moment. Not just because the Unit continues to tackle criminals operating across some of our most important supply chains but because it has now stepped into a new era of investigatory capability that will define how effectively consumers and food businesses will be protected over the next decade.

The report should remind many of something I have argued for years: food crime is not a trivial issue orchestrated by a few chancers.”

The report covers November 2024 to November 2025 and, in my opinion, reflects an organisation that is maturing in scope, confidence and operational independence. It reveals a food crime threat picture that is broad, increasingly global and alarmingly innovative in the ways criminal networks exploit weaknesses in our food system. Fortunately, the report outlines how the NFCU, now armed with Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) powers, is better equipped than ever before to respond quickly and decisively to threats. More on PACE later.

The report should remind many of something I have argued for years: food crime is not a trivial issue orchestrated by a few chancers. It is, in many cases, a well-organised, highly lucrative form of serious criminality that undermines food safety, damages legitimate businesses, harms public trust and carries significant biosecurity risks for the UK livestock sector.

One of the strengths of the annual update is the clarity with which it conveys the scale of modern food crime challenges. The Control Strategy for 2025/26 highlights five major threat areas – and it is no surprise to see meat, dairy and waste diversion continuing to dominate. Criminals are targeting high-value protein sectors with increasing sophistication by misrepresenting the origin of food, the adulteration of products and passing stolen or food unfit for human consumption into our supply chains.

I believe that ramping up the scrutiny of dairy products is both important and well-judged. Intelligence gathered this year points to the adulteration and substitution of cheeses, particularly premium varieties. Margins tend to be high and opportunities for fraud are abundant, with similar patterns occurring internationally.

Equally concerning is the rising intelligence around illegal pork imports, particularly in light of growing global attention on African Swine Fever (ASF). The Unit’s cross-government response, including collaboration with other governmental departments and local authorities, demonstrates the seriousness with which this threat is now taken. The removal of over 40 tonnes of unfit products of animal origin and 47 enforcement outcomes speaks volumes about the scale of the problem and the essential role of coordinated national action. It is evident that far more must be done to combat this growing threat.

The NFCU has mapped five different organised crime groups operating in the UK food system – and no doubt others will emerge.

Examples of successful cases

The sheer breadth of cases investigated by the NFCU over the last year is particularly striking. These are far from isolated minor incidents; they are large in scale and are often complex operations involving organised crime gangs who seek to reap substantial financial gains from their illicit activities.

What these examples and many more outlined in the report demonstrate is that food crime is both extremely diverse and unfortunately deeply embedded in some segments of our food system.”

In one example, a major waste diversion case resulted in four defendants and a food business being convicted for reintroducing meat unfit for consumption into the food chain. The combined prison sentences exceeded eight years, with the NFCU also removing nearly two tonnes of illicit animal by-products from circulation. The prevention of serious illness for those who might have consumed this unsafe food is an incredibly important point to note.

In another example, a financial restraining order worth £600,000 was secured under the Proceeds of Crime Act. The NFCU’s ability to hit the pockets of criminals is another very effective deterrent.

Among the numerous examples cited in the report, I will summarise one more here. A multi-agency operation targeting the laundering of food sector proceeds uncovered payments ranging from £100,000 to £13 million. This is a very clear illustration of the vast sums of money moving through illicit networks of food criminals. What these examples and many more outlined in the report demonstrate is that food crime is both extremely diverse and unfortunately deeply embedded in some segments of our food system.

The NFCU’s ability to disrupt 60 national-level criminal activities and deliver 130 operational outcomes is proof of the Unit’s increasing capability and reach but also proves the scale of the challenge it faces in tackling organised crime in the food sector.

Crime prevention: the often overlooked front line

Impressive progress in the NFCU’s prevention and resilience work was also evident in the report. This has been a historically under-invested area in the UK. The continued rollout of the online food fraud resilience tool, training of over 100 industry professionals, engagement with SMEs and the delivery of new third-party auditor food crime training represent essential steps in strengthening the first lines of defence against food crime. An important fact cited in the report is that prevention activity directly contributed to 10 national disruptions.

Alerts on document fraud in laboratory certificates is an ominous sign that AI will feature increasingly in the toolbox of cheats. This is something I have been speaking about this year – and those that think blockchain is the solution must understand that such systems need verification that the information being uploaded is actually correct and has not been altered in some way.

International partnerships matter

Food crime is a global phenomenon requiring a global approach to tackle it. It is encouraging that the report paints a picture of an NFCU that is increasingly internationally connected, which I very much welcome. Cooperation with Italy’s ICQRF, the French BNEVP, the Global Alliance and participation in OPSON all show the Unit stepping confidently into the global arena. When I speak at international conferences and to representatives from overseas governments I often state that the NFCU is now world-leading, a model to follow and an organisation to partner with.

In one of my favourite food fraud topics, more than 300 herb and spice samples collected under Operation OPSON led to recalls, alerts and intelligence referrals reinforcing the reality that many food crime threats originate beyond our borders. As global supply chains evolve, the UK’s food crime response must remain outward-looking and the NFCU is clearly positioning itself accordingly.

The game changer: new powers to fight crime

As the Unit enters its second decade, the annual update provides a clear message: the NFCU has become an important component of the UK’s food system.”

For me, the most important development in the entire document is the long-awaited introduction of enhanced investigatory powers under PACE and the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (CJPOA). These cover search warrants, evidence handling, production orders and suspect interviews. Despite failure to grant arrest authority they massively accelerate the investigative capability of the Unit.

Without these powers the NFCU was always working with one arm tied behind its back. Evidence of the value of these powers is already clear: a PACE order was secured in two days, compared to two weeks previously when reliant on police support; independent post-arrest interviews now take place without requiring police presence and prompt searches now save hours of police time and enable rapid action. This is exactly the kind of operational autonomy the Unit has needed and I’m pleased to have given it my full support to obtain this.

As the Unit enters its second decade, the annual update provides a clear message: the NFCU has become an important component of the UK’s food system and an increasingly indispensable law enforcement body. Its casework spans waste diversion to dodgy rice, money laundering to illegal slaughter, and international spice fraud to stolen poultry distribution. The range is enormous, the risks are serious and without the Unit these risks would be far bigger.

As ever, I appeal to those who might have information about suspicious activities in a company they work for or are aware of. This vital information will be treated with high confidentiality and will be taken seriously.