Enough. If things were so good before, why were the precursors amalgamated? Simple - they weren't producing the goods. Going back to the "good old days" won't solve a thing. There are problems - but they can be dealt with by good, focussed leadership.

P, Hertford,

The current drugs policy of this government is simply not working. We need to create an amalgamated Customs/Border Agency enforcement arm to tackle drugs importations and immigration crime, and recreate the National Crime Squads to improve cooperation amongst the respective Police forces.

Jezza, Suffolk, England

As an ex-Customs Investigator, I must object to NS, London's comment re 9-5 civil servants v. 24/7 police. I lost count of the number of joint Ops (pre SOCA) where the Police went home at 8pm coz their overtime had run out, leaving the Cuzzies to cover things all night. I left, it wasn't worth it !

Paul, London,

This nothing to do with the Government. It is to do with nepatistic practices of the ranking officers in the organisation who were handing out jobs to their mates who had no skills in their particular field. Any respected copper knew it was bound to fail. Bring back the Regional Crime Squads!!

phil, leeds, UK

I am one of the 148 Police Officers who has left SOCA the article is correct.. From the start it can be described as a shambles. Far too many senior managers no clear strategy or direction, who felt they could do as they pleased. When I left did exit form said would discuss to help never contacted.

J. Regan, Reigate,

this organisation has got it wrong from the start.
To be succesfull in targeting these people the agency needs to smaller in size and more personnel selected for keys roles for example intell, counter intell, investigation, analysis and Warrant teams. all the best agency's have started this way.

b, london,

Pathetic,mind,with thirty one deputy directors there is bound to be a lack of intelligence.Jobs for the boys, with Labour throwing money at them.
Me' thinks we want an election and a new Home Secretary.

robert everitt, wolverhampton,

On a pedantic note, I suspect this article is not being approached correctly. 'Failing to prosecute only a handful' surely means that there has been no failure to prosecute the rest? Success therefore to SOCA?

Mick Hearns, Stoke-on-Trent,

I am an ex Police Officer and I KNOW that the SOCA organisation is in a complete mess. Some top cops who are DETECTIVES are sitting in offices because they cannot afford to proactively target criminals. THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE DISGRACE, another Labour Government mess. No funding again !!!

Michael Pye, Wigan, UK

10 years of Nu Labour and the incompetence is endemic.

Martin, reading, UK

@jon livesey, speaking as an IT project manager, no, the problem isn't likely hardware, which is very, very easy and cheap to replace. The problem is almost certainly legacy *software* packages, none of which was originally designed to interoperate. These are very expensive and hard to rewrite.

Jon East, Cambridge, United Kingdom

maybe the politicians realised that they would be exposed and convicted if this force was successful and threw a few spanners in the works along the way.

more likely

dave jones, manchester,

I have observed in the few years when I worked in the U.K. recently. There are increasing numbers of highly organised professional & flexible criminals yet large numbers of disorganised Police, with an overload of Police bosses, with "pips" on their shoulders. How many ACC's do you need guys?

Pat Ban, Port Moody, Canada

Richard Jones is correct.
'Crime does pay' and you are unlikely to get caught (unless it is a motoring 'crime).
And even if you do get caught some spiv lawyer will run rings round the CPS and have the judge apologising on behalf of the police for arresting you.

rob, derby, uk

Duh. It's called Organised Crime 'cos they're er, organised. If those combatting it aren't, they win, simple.

Michael Martin-Morgan, Rosal, Spain

put the police in prison and the criminals in charge we will be safer. In some areas people turn to the criminals.
The establishment is like the arteries,sclerotic.The criminals like the lymph system shifting everything about unnoticed

ged, manchester,

The fact is SOCA is still not covered by D notice, until it is it will be useless lest they really find out who is importing the Drugs and laundering the CASH. They know who it is and can't stop them its the same firm.

Mark, Newcastle, Tyne Wear

I suspect too many chiefs not enough indians. I also suspect that at the outset it was like an old boys club, talk the talk but not walk the walk.
Get a good DCI and enough good grafting DS's and DC's give them a single task and do not limit time or resources and they will produce the goods.

Gary, Swindon,

Another failed initiative. Headlines grabbed at the time, all talk and no delivery, that is the legacy of this failing government.

Roger Parkes, Tunbridge Wells, Uk

Starring Peter Sellers, Bernard Cribbins and Alfie Bass, with Sir Ian Blair and Jacqui Smith playing themselves.

David Masu, Zürich,

Much of the criticism here (re speeding, HMG) is irrelevant nonsense. The failure of SOCA is trying to join bodies with differing work ethics. 8hr/5day 'desk' civil servants with 24/7 police used to dealing with bad people. Lots of the managers are from the former camp. Won't work.

NS, London,

The guilty men are the feudal barons, the 43 Chief Constables who routinely frustrate every attempt to implement joined-up policing across the UK. Look at PITO, the Police IT Organisation, which bit the dust last year.

Richard Sarson, Wimbledon, UK

Flawed strategy, poor intelligence, vital functions not working, bureaucracy with hosts of unnecessary 'managers', experienced staff leaving because of management inefficiencies and incompetence. Then, the inevitable, weak excuses one a spotlight is put on the latest fiasco.

Sounds familiar.

L Greene, London, England

So, the Crime Lords no longer have to find refuge at the so called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus? Is this going to have an impact to their tourism numbers?
Titos Christodoulou, London

Titos Christodoulou, London, UK

Another new labour failure - idealist plans and no execution ability

Richard, Newton Abbot,

As an ex member I can say that SOCA at its inception, was too keen on giving jobs to inept old pals - many of whom had retired from the police and were then re-employed in SOCA. Coupled with Customs who were jostling for position in the new hierarchy; it's an operational and financial disgrace.

UC, London, UK

Now we know why the motorist is hounded: they get a better return on their investment!

William, London, UK

Dave H, Alexandria, USA. The penalty for failer is a final salary penssion in your 40's and director ship in a high profile company, becuse by the time you get to the point where you can fail that badley you know so much about the goverment your to big a threat to be given a hard landing.

MR W Jones, Liverpool, England

This is something very interesting to read. And a bit funny I must admit. Usually british papers love to critisize us for exactly the same things and now it appears that we are simply implementing british practice in Bulgaria.

Alexander Yanakiev, Sofia, Bulgaria

Its not those at the top that need weeding out it is the little men at the bottom whom are the workers bring in the money, more of those whom are taken off the streets more likely the other will have to come out and be caught. Hurt the Crime Barons by stopping the money coming in, then arrest them.

Seric, Hastings, UK

Andrew has missed the point:- The government have brought together a bunch of professionals (in their own field) and thrown them together, given power to over 31 directors who pull against eachother in belief they are protecting their own, Then throw in a bunch of Uni Grads and youve got mayhem.

Keith Williamson, Newcastle, England

Serious crime , in fact all crime, is no bother to the government.
In fact it quietens the population.
What bothers the government is 'politically incorrect 'crime.
As here is the basis of all serious state control.

john cramer, strathfield, australia

Isn't this the same old story? A good idea, launched with a flourish, but apparently no-one is managing it. Who runs an operation like Soca and after two years fails to notice it has "creaking" computer systems that can't communicate with one another? Is it rocket science to suss dud PCs?

jon livesey, Sunnyvale, CA/USA

When professional law enforcers go after professional criminals, it's the police that are found lacking. Range of reasons for this, but bottom line is that largely the police can only handle soft options. And judging from the emphasis placed on persecuting motorists, the softer the better.

Andrew Milner, Karuizawa, Japan

Ask these people how much the drug trade is worth in the UK and they'll tell you it's.between £5 and £10 billion. Ask them where the enormous profits go and they'll go all pink ... much of it goes on slow horses, fast women and guns. The remaider goes into the pockets of corrupt policemen and to pay for our under-resourced political parties. Until we legalise and tax the sale of drugs, crime will continue unchecked.

And Dyer, London, UK

Will someone somewhere in Great Britain, please terminate the employment of a government employee who fails to perform his or her job......... !! Is there no penalty for failure in the British Isles?

Dave H, Alexandria, USA

Crime does pay.....

Richard Jones, Conwy, Wales