Police chiefs in Northern Ireland today urged the British government to renew terror laws in a bid to halt the spread of the region's criminal underworld.
With gangs involved in money laundering, extortion, counterfeiting, drug trafficking and security van heists, senior officers warned it was too dangerous to drop legislation specific to Northern Ireland.
Stephen Grange, President of the Superintendent's Association, told the body's annual conference organised crime must not be allowed to take over from 30 years of paramilitary violence.
He said: "We are facing highly sophisticated criminal groups, many with a legacy in terrorism who are prepared to use ruthless measures to achieve their objectives.
"Consequently, we raise as a matter of concern that part seven of the Terrorism Act is due to expire and whilst we all appreciate that the drafters of the legislation had hoped, as many of us did, to be in a new situation by now - the reality is that we are not.
"We therefore urge the Secretary of State to ensure the powers under part seven of the Act remain available until as such time as there is no need for them."
A government response to underworld bosses has been led by its Organised Crime Task Force and the Assets Recovery Agency. However, chief superintendent Grange implied the offensive could be weakened by too many agencies.
Police also want to know how a similar body established in England and Wales will link into Northern Ireland's fight against the gangsters.
The Association President, a District Commander for South Belfast, declared: "We do, however, have an observation on the number of law enforcement agencies now tackling organised crime and ask the question, 'Do we need so many agencies all fishing in the one pond?"'
As well as calling for Alan McQuillan's Assets Recovery Agency to be given extended powers, he told the meeting at Templepatrick, Co Antrim: "We would ask Government to encourage full utilisation of these agencies in the fight against crime."
Agencies