Police forces across England and Wales are to receive a £6million cash boost from assets seized from criminals, the Home Office announced today.
Criminal assets confiscated by police forces and other asset recovery agencies between April and June 2008 totalled £28.6 million, £14.3m of which is to be shared between police, prosecutors and courts.
A total of £5.97million will be given to police forces in England and Wales, compared with £3.71million paid out in the same quarter last year.
Since the Proceeds of Crime Act came into effect in 2003, £497million 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.
Today Home Office Minister Alan Campbell said:
"The incentive 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 strengthen their fight against crime in their area.
"Recovering almost £30million 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."
Mick Creedon, Chief Constable of Derbyshire Constabulary and ACPO lead on Asset Recovery said:
"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."
