POLICE have seized ?285,000 from criminals in the past year.
The money has gone into the seized asset fund held by the Treasury which the police can then apply to use for the fight against crime.
New legislation has seen an increase in the amount of money police have taken from criminals.
The main part of the Proceeds of Crime Act came into effect last August and since that time the police – in particular the financial crime unit and drug trafficking unit – have worked with its partners including the customs and excise and income tax divisions of Treasury and the Attorney General’s Chambers to utilise the powers and tools of investigation.
The legislation has enabled a more effective response to those intent on committing crime and to seize the ill-gotten gains from criminals.
Detective Chief Inspector John Mitchell, head of the financial crime unit, said: "Using information gleaned from a variety of sources through Proceeds of Crime legislative tools, we have been able to develop our investigative strategies to ensure we are intelligence led which then enables us to identify criminals, their organisations and subsequently their assets.
"We then target their unlawful behaviour with the intention of bringing them before a court and ultimately the confiscation of their assets, taking the profits they have made from the crimes they commit.
"We also undertake proactive activity to detain cash from individuals, using powers provided for by the Proceeds of Crime Act and, where appropriate, bring this before a court.
"The court, if satisfied that the money is from an unlawful purpose, can then order the funds to be forfeited. Some of those funds are then channelled back to assist law enforcement by making those criminals’ own funds available to be used against them and other criminals by providing law enforcement with funding for further operational activity, training and other resources."
Since April last year Isle of Man Constabulary has instigated more than 20 cash detention procedures resulting in more than ?85,000 being seized and detained for further investigation.
Additionally, the financial crime unit has undertaken criminal mutual assistance inquiries with other jurisdictions, resulting in assets of more than ?200,000 being seized and forfeited for the benefit of the Island.
Detective Chief Inspector Mitchell added: ‘The targeting of criminals assets is a proven effective tool in the fight against crime. On top of any term of imprisonment imposed by a court, anyone getting involved in criminal activity can expect – when caught – to have their financial position examined.
"This can lead to heavy financial penalties resulting in having their assets and property seized. People commit crime for profit, whether that be drug dealing or fraud. By taking the profit out of crime, we want to make such criminal activity unattractive."
Under previous legislation, a total of ?46,670 was seized in the previous year, 2008-2009.
Money from the Isle of Man seized asset fund financed the police's hard-hitting ports anti-drugs poster campaign that was launched in ports in the Island and north west of England last November.
Detective Chief Inspector John Mitchell
