National Food Crime Unit

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The National Food Crime Unit (NFCU), part of the UK Food Standards Agency, uses Clue to tackle criminal activity in the food supply chain. Handling thousands of sensitive documents during complex investigations, NFCU adopted Clue’s integrated redaction tool to streamline redaction, cutting time by 75%, reducing errors, and speeding case preparation.

Background: Investigating food fraud with intelligence-led tools

NFCU’s mission is to expose and disrupt criminal behaviour within the food supply chain. Operating across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the unit manages complex cases under the Fraud Act 2006 and other legislation – often requiring the review, sharing, and disclosure of large volumes of sensitive evidence.

“We investigate high-impact offences and liaise with other enforcement agencies. That means dealing with a lot of sensitive material – statements, exhibits, and increasingly, phone data that can include thousands of lines of information.”

The challenge: Manual redaction was slowing investigations down

Before adopting Clue’s redaction tool, the NFCU team manually extracted documents from the system, redacting them using third-party tools, and then re-uploaded the redacted versions. This process was time-consuming, inefficient, and increased the risk of error.

“To make a single redaction manually, it took around 25 clicks and up to 4 minutes. When you’re doing this across hundreds of documents, the time loss is huge – and there is a greater potential for error.”

The solution: Clue’s File Redaction tool

Clue’s file redaction tool enables users to redact documents directly within the platform, removing the need for external tools or duplication. NFCU now uses this tool for day-to-day redactions, including investigative exhibits and disclosure packs sent to the Crown Prosecution Service.

“With Clue, redacting a document takes just five clicks and under a minute. That might sound small in isolation, but when you scale that across a caseload, it’s a major time saver.”

Key features and benefits:

• In-platform redaction – No need to extract or re-upload files
• Improved accuracy – Automated links between original and redacted files reduce human error
• Role-based controls – Redacted files are managed with tailored permissions (e.g. for disclosure officers)

The impact: Reduced risk, greater efficiency

The results were immediate:

• Time saved – Dozens of hours reclaimed monthly
• Risk reduced – Fewer chances of unredacted content being shared
• Improved case prep – Faster disclosure schedule turnaround and CPS submissions

“It’s a lot less frustrating. You get peace of mind that it’s done properly – especially when you’re working with 700-page disclosure schedules.”

Why File Redaction works for NFCU

The tool integrates smoothly with NFCU’s compliance-focused workflow. While only disclosure officers handle redactions due to role-based access, the tool’s usability allows for efficient handling of even complex materials.

“The usability, the accuracy, and the fact that you don’t need to leave the system – it ticks all the boxes.”

NFCU also highlighted the support provided by Clue:

“Support from the Clue team is brilliant. You get help right away – and keeping everything in one system avoids errors.”

Conclusion

For NFCU, Clue’s redaction tool is more than a time-saver – it’s a critical enabler of compliance and efficiency. In an environment where timing is vital and data sensitivity is non-negotiable, the ability to perform fast, accurate redactions within the investigation platform empowers the team to focus on what matters most: protecting the UK’s food supply chain from criminal exploitation.