Extortion victims told fight back

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Victims of extortion are being urged to take the first step in fighting back against organised crime.

The appeal to business people by Security Minister Paul Goggins came at an event to raise awareness of the work of the Organised Crime Taskforce.

Mr Goggins said police last year had a 100% success rate for prosecutions in cases of extortion.

The figure related to cases where a report was made, investigated and the victim had worked with the police.

The security minister, who is also chair of the Organised Crime Taskforce, said extortion, robbery and intellectual property crime all impacted on local businesses.

Helpline

"It takes courage to break the vicious cycle that victims of extortion face and to take the first step to fight back against the criminals," he said.

He that by picking up the telephone and calling the extortion helpline, victims could take that first step.

"Victims are placed in an almost impossible dilemma, and it may seem that the lesser of two evils is to pay up and live with the threat rather than to report the matter to the police and risk reprisals both to them and their families," he said.

"But this is a downward spiral into a lawless society where only the criminal profits."

Referring to the police success rate, Mr Goggins said: "In none of these cases have there been any reprisals against the victims who had the courage to come forward and work with the police."

The extortion helpline number is 02890 922 267.