North West Regional Organised Crime Unit
Police unit tackling serious organised crime across north-west England.
On 20 October, the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit was the UK regional police signatory to a six-agency advisory that attributed at least 600 victims to SafePay ransomware.
Last refreshed: 22 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
What linked a regional police unit to the SafePay investigation?
Timeline for North West Regional Organised Crime Unit
Six agencies tie SafePay to old flaws
Cybersecurity: Threats and DefencesBackground
The North West Regional Organised Crime Unit is a police unit that tackles serious organised crime across north-west England. Its remit crosses the boundary between local policing and wider criminal threats that need coordination with national and overseas agencies.
On 20 October 2026, the unit appeared as the UK regional police signatory to a joint advisory on SafePay ransomware. Six agencies from the United Kingdom, United States and Germany credited the group with at least 600 victims. The advisory named five initial-access flaws dating from 2020 to 2024. All five had already spent two to three years on the US exploited-vulnerabilities list, and two affected Veeam backup servers.
The signatory role places the unit within an international warning effort against a group using old, known weaknesses. It also connects a regional English police body to operational advice for organisations beyond its home area.
What is the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit?
What police forces make up NWROCU?
Why did NWROCU sign the SafePay advisory?
Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 22 October 2026. Editorial standards.