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RCPO is an independent government department prosecuting major drug trafficking and tax fraud cases in the UK. Handling some 2,500 cases a year, it is part of the UK's Criminal Justice System.

The organisation is headed by a Director who is appointed by the Attorney General. The Attorney General is appointed by the Prime Minister and is answerable in Parliament for:

• the RCPO
• The Crown Prosecutions Service
• The Serious Fraud Office
• Treasury Solicitors
• The department of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland
• HM CPS Inspectorate

David Green QC, is the RCPO's Director. He heads an organisation of approximately 250 staff which includes lawyers, caseworkers and administrators. These key personnel are based in London and Manchester.

Creation of the RCPO

Prior to the RCPO, criminal prosecutions were handled separately by Customs and Excise and Inland Revenue lawyers.The Gower Hammond (December 2000) and Butterfield (July 2003) Reports both recommended greater independence for prosecutors from investigators. As a direct result of those recommendations, the Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, in December 2003, announced the creation of a fully independent prosecutions office.

Meanwhile the O'Donnell Review (March 2004) concluded that the most efficient and beneficial way to collect tax would be to merge Customs and Excise and the Inland Revenue. It was in line with this wider merger of functions, that the Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith announced, in October 2004, that Inland Revenue prosecutions would join the new independent prosecuting authority.

In doing so Lord Goldsmith said:

The new Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office, accountable to me, will be an entirely separate prosecuting authority, responsible for the prosecution of all HM Revenue and Customs cases in England and Wales. The creation of the RCPO is an important step which will ensure that we have an effective and fully independent prosecuting authority, dealing with many of the most important cases in the criminal justice system. It will play a vital role in shaping the criminal justice system of the future.

The Primary legislation required for the creation of a fully independent the RCPO received Royal Assent on the 7th of April, 2005.

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