NTS Intelligence Team

NTS has worked to develop an intelligence led or problem-solving approach to consumer protection work. Robust intelligence has been used by Trading Standards to protect consumers, including vulnerable residents and communities, and to safeguard legitimate businesses. Intelligence can be used to inform local, regional and national priorities and support enforcement activities. Trading Standards, Regional Groups and NTS Teams constantly see that criminals - including organised and well-funded criminal groups – can quickly adapt their methods and deploy increasingly sophisticated techniques to target their victims. Reliable and timely intelligence helps us identify and pre-empt these emerging threats. 

NTS developed an intelligence framework and intelligence network to support this work. It has an NTS Intelligence Team that is hosted by Suffolk County Council. The team provides technical expertise to help identify and analyse national trends and emerging threats, informing tasking and prioritisation processes. NTS has also provided funding to support a network of regional intelligence teams across England and Wales. Local authorities have also been encouraged to each have a local intelligence liaison officer. 

These officers help record, develop and analyse intelligence, monitor trends, and identify key problems and threats. This enables targeted enforcement to be taken nationally, regionally and locally to effectively deal with criminals. Tackling national, regional and local priorities such as doorstep crime, mass marketing scams, e-crime, intellectual property and other trading standards issues that go beyond local authority boundaries.