News story: Home Secretary announces law enforcement crackdown on dark web

Speaking at the CYBER UK Conference in Manchester, the Home Secretary announced that as part of a £9 million fund, law enforcement’s response will be bolstered to tackle those who use the anonymity of the online space for illegal activities such as the selling of firearms, drugs, malware and people.

More than £5 million will also be used to support the police to establish dedicated cyber crime units to investigate and pursue cyber criminals at a regional and local level.

The funding is part of £50 million of newly allocated money to ensure police and prosecutors have the capabilities they need to tackle cyber crime at a national, regional and local level during 2018/2019.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said:

The world of cyber is fast-developing and we need a fast-developing response to match. One that recognises that it is the responsibility of everyone in the UK to fight the evolving threat.

That’s why today I’m pleased to announce that we will be investing over £50 million over the next year to bolster cyber capabilities within law enforcement at a national, regional and local level.

We need to make sure we stay not just at pace but steps ahead of those who seek to exploit the possibilities of modern technology, and I am determined that this Government will continue to tighten the net.

A proportion of the £50 million will be used to develop a new national training programme for police and the wider criminal justice system, sponsored by the National Police Chiefs Council. This will equip them with the tools to properly investigate and prosecute cases of cyber crime, including those relating to the dark web.

The Cyber Aware campaign, a cross-Government initiative, will also receive a further £3 million of funding for 2018/2019 to educate the public and businesses with the latest advice on how to protect themselves from cyber crime.