investigators in the Section,” Detective Senior Sergeant Murphy said. “Targeting those who are accumulating unexplained wealth and confiscating their cash profits and assets is a significant disabler of serious organised crime. “It is an effective tool to disrupt and deter crime, no matter what stage it is at.” Once an offender has been convicted, formal forfeiture proceedings are launched by the Office of the DPP. Such proceedings, usually in the District Court, are often contested, meaning it can take several years before a court order is made to forfeit assets.
In the 2015-16 financial year property worth $1.4 million was seized and retained for the purpose of undertaking proceeds of crime action. This included around $620 000 in cash, 56 cars, two quad bikes, one boat and one skid steer loader. During the same period the Courts granted Forfeiture Orders to the value of $1 946 414, of which $452 819.80 related to cash seized by police across SAPOL. “Significant orders have led to the forfeiture of homes, luxury cars, boats,
In the last financial year $33.6 million worth of criminals’ cash and assets was restrained by Confiscation Section. This is almost triple the $11.8 million restrained in 2011-12.
motorcycles and millions of dollars of drug money found hidden in suburban homes and in bank safe deposit boxes,” Detective Senior Sergeant Murphy said. “Once assets are forfeited by the courts they are sold in a public government auction process or destroyed.
All proceeds realised are immediately deposited in the Attorney-General’s Victims of Crime Fund.” Some criminals go to extreme lengths to conceal the proceeds of their
MAIN PHOTO: Police remove a Mercedes-Benz from a property during a serious and organised crime operation. ABOVE: A boat restrained by
Confiscation Section.
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