NCA Annual Report 2024-25

National Crime Agency Annual Report 2024–25: Tackling Evolving Threats in the UK and Beyond

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has released its Annual Report and Accounts for 2024–25, a comprehensive review that reflects both the rising scale of serious and organised crime (SOC) in the UK and the Agency’s intensifying response to those threats. The report highlights a year marked by record-breaking enforcement activity, major international operations, digital innovation, and an ambitious vision for the future of crime fighting.

Rising Threats and National Priorities

The NCA’s annual National Strategic Assessment (NSA) makes it clear that serious and organised crime remains the single greatest national security threat to the UK. It is estimated to cost the economy at least £47 billion annually, undermining public safety, economic prosperity, and national trust. The year 2024 saw a further expansion of criminal activities driven by technology. Offenders increasingly relied on artificial intelligence, encrypted communications, and online platforms to commit fraud, distribute child sexual abuse material, launder money, and traffic both drugs and people. Global instability—from migration crises to geopolitical tensions—further created opportunities for criminal enterprises to thrive.

Against this backdrop, the Home Secretary set nine strategic priorities for the Agency, focusing on strengthening borders, combating child sexual abuse online, disrupting the flow of drugs and firearms, fighting cybercrime and fraud, and deepening international partnerships. The NCA’s mission, as the Director General Graeme Biggar reaffirmed, is to not only keep pace with these challenges but to stay one step ahead of the criminal networks driving them.

Record Operational Impact

In response to these pressures, the NCA delivered its most impactful year to date. The Agency recorded 6,989 disruptions, the highest ever, averaging 19 disruptions every single day. These ranged from dismantling international crime syndicates to blocking millions in fraudulent transactions. Of these, 450 disruptions were deemed “high impact,” meaning they struck directly at the heart of the UK’s most dangerous criminal groups.

The results were tangible and far-reaching. More than 2,000 suspects involved in serious and organised crime were arrested. The Agency’s intelligence and operations enabled UK police to make around 800 child sexual abuse-related arrests each month, leading to the safeguarding of over 1,100 children monthly. Its officers were at the forefront of border security, targeting smuggling operations, particularly those linked to small boat crossings. The year saw a 40% increase in organised immigration crime disruptions, the highest ever recorded, marking a significant success in the battle against people smuggling.

On the economic front, the NCA’s cyber and fraud units prevented over 400,000 fraud attempts and issued more than 400 cyber protection alerts. Many of these targeted ransomware threats, collectively saving the UK an estimated £220 million in potential losses. Meanwhile, on the drugs front, coordinated global operations led to the seizure of over 230 tonnes of Class A narcotics, including a dramatic mid-sea interception of 4.4 tonnes of cocaine dropped from container ships off the British coast. The Agency also removed 3,448 firearms from circulation, ensuring the UK’s reputation as a country with some of the lowest firearm crime levels in the world remained intact.

Major Operations and Case Studies

The report details a number of landmark cases that illustrate both the scale and sophistication of the NCA’s work.

One of the most striking was Operation Tradite North and Operation Desma, which exposed and dismantled the UK’s largest ever detected drugs conspiracy. Eighteen members of an international organised crime group were convicted for smuggling an estimated 50 tonnes of heroin, cocaine, and cannabis worth billions of pounds. The operation stretched from Southeast England to Scotland, with the judge describing the conspiracy as spreading “addiction, misery, and death.”

Another major breakthrough came in the fight against cybercrime. In a multi-agency international effort, the NCA tracked and secured the extradition of Maksim Silnikau, a Belarusian cybercriminal known for pioneering the ransomware-as-a-service model. His network had terrorised victims worldwide, locking their systems and coercing payments under threat of prosecution for fabricated crimes. The operation was a milestone in tackling transnational cybercrime and demonstrated the NCA’s ability to collaborate with US and European enforcement agencies.

The year also saw Operation Destabilise, a sweeping crackdown on Russian-linked laundering networks known as Smart and TGR. These groups had funneled billions for oligarchs, ransomware gangs, and even espionage operations. The NCA and partners arrested 84 individuals, seized £20 million, and dismantled networks that had supported not only cybercriminals but also the notorious Kinahan cartel, responsible for trafficking drugs and firearms globally.

In the field of immigration crime, the Agency dismantled a global people smuggling network moving migrants from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq into the UK and Europe. The conviction of Amanj Hasan Zada, a Preston-based organiser of small boat crossings, symbolised how local facilitators are part of wider transnational webs. Parallel arrests in Iraq targeted yacht operators, financiers, and coordinators, effectively crippling the network’s entire infrastructure.

Expanding Capabilities

Beyond operations, 2024–25 was a year of transformation for the Agency. The NCA rolled out a fully digitised Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) platform, which processed over 1.1 million reports in its first year, improving the UK’s ability to detect money laundering and terrorist financing. A new applicant tracking system modernised recruitment, while the Agency prepared to move into its new headquarters in Stratford, a facility designed to foster collaboration and innovation.

Perhaps most significantly, preparations were made for the launch of an NCA Academy, a centre dedicated to developing cutting-edge skills in cyber investigations, financial crime, and digital forensics. Alongside this, the Agency expanded regional hubs and deepened partnerships with international enforcement bodies, further extending its global reach.

Sustainability and Workforce Development

The report also highlights the NCA’s progress in areas beyond enforcement. The Agency achieved a 52% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to its baseline, surpassing government targets, and converted 56% of its fleet to electric or hybrid vehicles. More than 73% of waste was recycled, exceeding sustainability commitments, while investment in energy-efficient systems reduced utility costs.

Internally, the Agency worked to modernise its workforce policies and embed a stronger organisational culture. New values—Integrity, Agility, Alliance, and Excellence—were introduced, co-created by staff to reflect the NCA’s ethos. The Agency also took proactive steps to reduce its gender and ethnicity pay gaps, rolled out flexible working schemes, and launched leadership and mentoring programmes to promote diversity and inclusion.

Looking Ahead

Director General Graeme Biggar noted that the NCA has exceeded its ambitious 2021 target of boosting high-impact disruptions by 50%, achieving a 72% increase instead. Yet, challenges remain formidable. Border referrals rose by 43% last year, online CSA referrals increased by 63% over two years, and the sheer complexity of international criminal networks continues to stretch resources.

Looking forward, the NCA plans to enhance its role in leading the UK’s national response, focusing heavily on cybercrime, fraud, illicit finance, and immigration crime. International cooperation will be strengthened through partnerships with Europol, Interpol, and new data-sharing agreements with allies such as the United States. At the same time, investment in digital tools, intelligence analysis, and officer training is expected to keep the Agency at the forefront of tackling both traditional and emerging criminal threats.

The 2024–25 Annual Report of the National Crime Agency paints a clear picture of an organisation under increasing pressure but also rising to the challenge. From dismantling billion-pound drug networks to protecting children from online exploitation, the NCA’s work this year demonstrates the breadth of its mission and the intensity of its fight against serious and organised crime. As technology accelerates and global instability deepens, the Agency’s future success will depend on its ability to innovate, adapt, and lead—both at home and on the international stage.