Crimestoppers is a scheme which enables members of the public to give information anonymously about crime and criminal activity by telephoning the national freephone number 0800 555 111. Details of callers are not recorded, the call is not traced and the number is not shown on terrestrial itemised telephone bills. If the information leads to an arrest and charge then the caller may qualify for a cash reward, although only 9 per cent actually claim that reward. Crimestoppers Trust, a registered charity is the umbrella organisation behind the scheme, and is the only charity involved in solving crime. It is funded by mainly corporate donations and does not receive any central government funding.

  Crimestoppers is an excellent example of a successful partnership preventing and detecting crime, and is supported by all UK police forces. Although it is a national scheme, there are 29 regions which have volunteer boards who are responsible for the promotion of the scheme and fundraising. The Trust works closely with, and supports government departments and many organisations including the Home Office, Customs & Excise, Immigration Service, Tobacco Manufacturing Association, British Oil Industry Service Stations Committee, Association for the Payment and Clearing Services, and voluntary agencies such as Neighbourhood Watch, Victim Support and many others.

  Since its launch 11 year's ago 29,000 people have been arrested and charged with various crimes from murder and serious assaults, to drug dealing and theft. Over 300,000 anonymous calls have resulted in the recovery of property worth £42 million, and large values of drugs.

  In particular we have excellent results with drugs importation, drug dealing and related crime, bootlegging and smuggling of alcohol and tobacco. Forty per cent of calls and arrests in 1998 were drug related, with a total of 1,491 actionable Crimestoppers calls related to drugs, alcohol and tobacco smuggling, which were actioned by Customs & Excise. Many of these calls have resulted in arrests, deportation, convictions and imprisonment of the offenders, and large quantities of drugs, alcohol and tobacco being seized. In order to protect the anonymity of the callers, details of the calls and results cannot be given.

  Crimestoppers Trust is a member of the Drugs Alliance and Excise Alliance and will continue to support the work of Customs & Excise to prevent and detect non-compliance, and would welcome any initiatives to work more closely together.

23 September 1999