³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

Six people have been charged and the Police Service of Northern Ireland has seized more than £360,000 in cash in an operation targeting organised crime.

It is part of the UK's biggest law enforcement operation against serious criminality.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) said a top-secret communications system used by criminals to trade drugs and guns has been "penetrated".

The PSNI conducted 25 searches as part of the NCA-led Operation Venetic.

Police said it targeted organised crime groups using encrypted technology "in a bid to evade law enforcement".

In Northern Ireland, 15 "encro phones" were seized, as well as suspected Class A and B drugs, including 2.5kg of suspected cannabis and cocaine.

Three high-value vehicles, documentation, laptops, jewellery and designer handbags were also seized.

Det Ch Supt Andrew Freeburn said that detectives from the PSNI's Criminal Investigations Branch had been working with the NCA and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) over the last few months.

Six people have been charged - four have been remanded in custody and one on High Court bail, while the sixth is due to appear in court on Friday.

The charges range from conspiracy to commit murder, possession of significant amounts of criminal property and drugs offences.

In evidence to a Westminster committee last year, the PSNI estimated there were about 90 organised crime groups operating in Northern Ireland.

Some have connections to paramilitary organisations.

Their activities include drug trafficking, cyber crime, counterfeiting and people smuggling.

Some were also linked to a recent spate of cash machine thefts.

"Whilst we might not be arresting people that could be paramilitaries, this will clearly have an impact on them," said Det Ch Supt Freeburn.