To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases relating to (a) drugs, (b) firearms and (c) counterfeit currency have been referred to the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) by HM Revenue and Customs; and how many such cases have been investigated by SOCA. (278436)

Under arrangements agreed between HM Revenue and Customs and the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), HM Revenue and Customs notify SOCA of seizures made at ports that meet specific criteria. SOCA undertakes systematic checks on every notification, but investigates only where the size of the seizure, significance of the criminals involved and operational opportunities presented are assessed as appropriate for further action, in line with the priorities set in the UK Organised Crime Control Strategy.

In the period 1 September 2007 to 30 April 2009, within the framework:

(a) SOCA received 161 notifications relating to drugs and adopted 29 of these for criminal investigation.

(b) SOCA received three notifications relating to firearms, none of which was adopted for criminal investigation by SOCA.

(c) SOCA received one notification relating to counterfeit currency which was not adopted for criminal investigation by SOCA.

The notifications that are not adopted for criminal investigation were debriefed by SOCA and, wherever appropriate, progressed by another law enforcement agency.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Serious Organised Crime Agency's proceeds of crime targets were in respect of (a) cash seizure, (b) cash forfeiture, (c) restraint orders, (d) confiscation orders and (e) civil recovery in 2008-09. (278437)

Targets for 2008-09 were published in the Serious Organised Crime Agency's Annual Plan for that year as follows:

(a) There was no target for cash seizure

(b) £6 million cash forfeiture

(c) There was no external target as restraint is used to prevent the dissipation of assets during investigation. However, SOCA set an internal target of £62.5 million for restraint orders.

(d) £46 million confiscation—this figure was made up of £42million of confiscation orders obtained by SOCA and £4 million of confiscation orders enforced by SOCA on confiscation cases inherited from the Assets Recovery Agency.

(e) There was no SOCA civil recovery and tax target, but an overall HMG target of £16 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were (a) arrested on suspicion and (b) convicted of offences relating to organised immigration crime as a result of operations by the Serious Organised Crime Agency in (i) 2007-08 and (ii) 2008-09. (278438)

In 2007-08, there were 129 arrests and 30 convictions as a result of operations where organised immigration crime was the main focus. In 2008-09 there were 140 arrests and 15 convictions as a result of operations where organised immigration crime was the main focus.

In addition to the numbers arrested and convicted as a result of investigations into organised immigration crime, others were dealt with “administratively” under immigration powers, for example by deportation or exclusion.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the Serious Organised Crime Agency Annual Report 2008-09, how many of the 5,000 criminals on record with the Serious and Organised Crime Agency as a result of its operational activity have been (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted of offences as a result of the Agency's activity. (278440)

The figure of 5,000 persons of interest includes individuals who are outside UK jurisdiction or are already in prison. During SOCA's first three years of operation, its work led to the prosecution of 920 and the conviction of 863 individuals.