Cash from criminals to be shared by police forces

Jan 3 2008 Western Mail

MILLIONS of pounds seized from criminals will be shared between police forces, the Government announced yesterday.

Vernon Coaker, the Home Office Minister for Crime Reduction, said that constabularies across Wales and England are to receive £4.4m from assets seized between July and September last year.

The scheme allows police and recovery agencies to retain half of all cash they seize from criminals.

Mr Coaker, who helped launch the initiative last year, said, “This is a double-win for policing.

“Seizing money from criminals takes the profit out of crime and a share of it goes straight back to the police force that confiscated it to be spent on local crime fighting priorities.

“In just three months the police and other agencies have recovered £30m from criminals.

“This is a tremendous achievement and I am grateful to the police and other partners for their hard work in confiscating criminal assets and disrupting criminal gangs.”

He announced £15m will be shared between police, prosecutors, customs officers and other public agencies.

In Wales this amounts to £20,752.88 for Dyfed-Powys Police, £12,936.63 for Gwent Police, £77,701.03 for South Wales Police and £31,428.95 for North Wales Police.

Since the Proceeds of Crime Act came into effect in 2003, more than £360m has been seized.

Last year, police in Wales and England received £3.8m from the incentive scheme for assets recovered between April and June.