British forces seek greater powers to access suspect computers

British police are working with counterparts on the continent to gain better access to computers belonging to individuals suspected of criminal activities, reports the Register.

Stringent laws in parts of Eastern Europe prevent law enforcement officers from carrying out covert electronic surveillance on suspects, but the director of the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (Soca) said this could change.

The agency's e-crime unit is looking to expand UK laws across Europe to make its task more efficient, while it is also keen to monitor VoIP traffic from suspected criminals.

In a statement, Soca told the website: "The working group aims to identify best practice, harmonise approaches and deliver an EU consensus on the issues. The result will be advice to decision makers/law makers at EU level to provide law enforcement with powers."

Making greater use of techniques used for remote searches could enable agents to tackle crime more effectively on an international scale.

Internet service providers in the UK are under pressure to invest in high-speed broadband networks, which could also aid law enforcement officers.