A CRACKDOWN on human trafficking and smuggling of illegal goods, including drugs, was launched today.

A CRACKDOWN on human trafficking and smuggling of illegal goods, including drugs, was launched today.

The move, involving the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency and the Road Haulage Association, was announced by Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill.

He said organised crime was "a cancer in Scotland", which undermined legitimate business, damaged the economy and brought misery to people's lives through crime and addiction.

Mr MacAskill said: "A small number of criminals are causing a significant amount of harm to our communities. But they can't operate on their own.

"They rely on others within our communities to support their enterprises, such as someone to distribute their commodity and people to bring it to Scotland - undetected - which they are willing to pay a premium for.

"This means the opportunity of making a quick and easy buck is too much for some and they agree to carry illegal goods along with their legitimate cargo.

"These people don't care about the misery they cause to those who live in our hardest-hit communities.

"This new joint initiative between the agency and the haulage industry will make the minority involved in these kind of illegal activities think twice about the impact of their actions."

Mr MacAskill was speaking during a visit to the agency's Paisley headquarters to highlight the role of the government's new Serious Organised Crime Taskforce in the fight against major crime.

He warned: "The criminal underworld's Mr Bigs and their henchmen should be under no illusion that this Government will use all means at its disposal to put them out of business and off the streets."