January 3, 2009: Police Get Profits Of Crime

Police forces across England and Wales will receive millions of pounds from assets seized from criminals, the Home Office announced yesterday.

Criminal assets confiscated by police forces and other asset recovery agencies between July and September 2008 totaled £33.5m, half of which is to be shared between police, prosecutors and courts.

A total of £5.4m will be given to police forces in England and Wales, compared with £3.7m paid out in the same quarter last year.

Since the Proceeds of Crime Act came into effect in 2003, £530.5m has been seized. An incentive scheme introduced in 2006 allows the police and recovery agencies to retain half of all cash they seize from criminals.

Home Office minister Alan Campbell said:

'This scheme is a great benefit for policing. Taking money from criminals makes crime far less profitable for them. At the same time, that money is ploughed directly back into the police force that seized it so they can use it for their fight against crime in their area.'

'Recovering more than £30m from criminals in the space of three months is a great achievement and I want to thank the police and other partners for their hard work in seizing the money and undermining criminal gangs.'

Derbyshire Chief Constable Mick Creedon, who leads for the Association of Chief Police Officers on asset recovery, commented:

'The public are quite rightly sick and tired of seeing criminals leading lavish lifestyles without challenge and all forces across England and Wales are determined to respond to this and make full use of the available powers granted under the Proceeds of Crime Act and other legislation.'

'We continue to work closely with the Home Office and other asset recovery agencies to ensure that not only crime doesn't pay, but that it is also seen by the public that it doesn't pay.'

A total of £135.7m was recovered in the financial year 2007-08, £125.36m for 2006-07, £97.3m for 2005-06, £84m for 2004-05, and £54.5m for 2003-04.

A total £16.7m will be paid back to the police and other agencies involved in asset recovery including HM Revenue and Customs, Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA),Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Assets Recovery Agency, HM Courts Service (HMCS), Office of Criminal Justice Reform (OCJR) and the Home Office.