Cash seizures continue to hit crime
26 Oct 06
£1.8 million seized and £12.5 million in assets frozen since April
Almost £1.8m has been recovered from criminals in the last six months under the Proceeds of Crime Act, the Lord Advocate, Elish Angiolini QC announced today.
In addition, assets valued at an estimated £12.5m have been frozen since April.
The £1.8 million comprises over £765,000 confiscated by the Financial Crime Unit as the proceeds of crime following conviction of drug dealers, money launderers and fraudsters in the six months to 30 September, and just over £1 million recovered by the Civil Recovery Unit from cash seizures and recovery orders granted by the courts in civil proceedings where assets are believed on balance to derive from the proceeds of crime.
Mrs Angiolini said: "Using the full powers of the criminal and civil courts we are proving day after day that by working with the police and other criminal justice agencies we can make a serious dent in the Scottish black market economy. Since the introduction of the Proceeds of Crime Act more than £10m of criminal profits have been handed over to the Scottish Ministers to invest in communities."