02/10/2003

£22m in criminal cash funnelled back into communities

More than £22 million a year of criminals' cash is to be recycled back into communities and front-line agencies, the government announced today.

Projects that bolster front-line agencies' ability to recover more illegally acquired wealth will receive £15.5 million, whilst communities suffering from "crime and anti-social behaviour", including gun crime, will get £7 million.

The move to invest the funds follows the introduction of the Proceeds of Crime Act and the creation of the Assets Recovery Agency.

Home Secretary David Blunkett said that the new powers enabled authorities to confiscate "more criminal cash and assets than ever before".

"Stripping criminals of their assets will be the norm, not the exception," he said.

"Nationally, police and Customs have already seized £36 million in suspect cash. And the Assets Recovery Agency is now up and running and making a real impact. Together we are sending out the strongest signal that crime does not pay."

(gmcg)

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