Graeme Biggar CBE appointed director general of National Crime Agency

Appointed on a five-year term following an open recruitment process, Biggar will now lead the NCA’s drive to advance the UK’s fight against serious and organised crime: a national security threat that includes people smuggling, cyber crime, illicit finance and drugs and firearms trafficking.

The director general takes charge of the NCA’s 6,000 officers based in the UK and overseas and is responsible for setting its operational priorities, ensuring that the organisation is operating effectively and shaping the entire UK law enforcement response to serious and organised crime.

In 2021-2022 alone, NCA activity has delivered prison sentences for criminals totalling more than 2,379 years and presided over the freezing or seizure of £358 million in criminal assets/ The NCA’s efforts have resulted in the arrest of 244 people smuggling offenders outside of the UK and led to the seizure of 241 tonnes of Class A drugs. Further, the organisation has spearheaded the implementation of a cross-law enforcement ransomware threat group, thereby protecting the UK’s economy from losses of at least £600 million.

Misery and exploitation

Commenting on the appointment, Priti Patel said: “Serious and organised crime gangs and violence bring misery to our streets. As well as exploiting children and the vulnerable, this criminality also costs our economy more than £37 billion every year. Going after the criminals who profit from human misery, abuse our children and citizens and show no regard for our borders and laws is what we will continue to do.”

The Home Secretary continued: “From dismantling people smuggling networks through the biggest illegal migration law enforcement operation across Europe to bringing the monsters who sexually abuse children in the UK and abroad to justice, Graeme and his remarkable team at the NCA have an outstanding track record of delivery. I have put the right resources and skills into the NCA, including increases to its budget and additional resources to tackle new and emerging threats. The UK’s NCA is world-leading. It’s in a formidable position to tackle some of the most complex global threats we face and to help make our streets and our country safer.”

In response, Graeme Biggar noted: “I’m delighted to have been asked to lead the NCA. The organisation’s mission of protecting the public from serious and organised crime has never been more important. Serious and organised crime is chronic, corrosive and complex. The people and groups behind it have global reach, are technically sophisticated and digitally-enabled. On that basis, we must focus upstream, overseas and online while continuing to work with our partners systematically to target criminals, bring them to justice and reduce the harm they cause.”

Biggar concluded: “It has been a privilege to lead our officers over the past ten months. I will continue to support them in protecting the public, while always ensuring that we operate with the highest integrity and standards.”

National security

Prior to his role as the NCA’s interim director general, Biggar served as director general of the National Economic Crime Centre at the NCA between 2019 and 2021. He has also served as director for national security at the Home Office, as chief of staff to the defence secretary and held senior positions in the Ministry of Defence as well as other Government departments.

Biggar helped to shape the response to the 2017 terrorist attacks and the Salisbury poisoning incident. As director of national security at the Home Office, he oversaw the implementation of the Investigatory Powers Act.