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Crime Solicitors

Britain’s career criminals “failing to repay proceeds of crime” (19 August 2014)

Date: 19/08/2014
Duncan Lewis, Crime Solicitors, Britain’s career criminals “failing to repay proceeds of crime”

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show that major crime bosses are failing to repay their proceeds of crime as demanded under Confiscation Orders imposed by the court.

The data show that 176 offenders owe a total of nearly £700 million – including a drug baron who accumulated millions of pounds through supplying workers in the City and celebrities with cocaine.

Out of those ordered to repay £1m under the Proceeds of Crime Act, 40 have not repaid any money, according to a report by the London Evening Standard newspaper.

The average debt owed by those issued with Confiscation Orders under the Proceeds of Crime Act now stands at just under £4m each.

Both the National Audit Office and the Commons Public Accounts Committee have criticised those charged with recovering million under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

The government is introducing a new bill – the Serious Crime Bill – which proposes tougher penalties for criminals who do not repay their profits from crime, as ordered by the court.

However, chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Committee, Keith Vaz MP, has said that the Bill does not go far enough:

“The Serious Crime Bill is not tough enough – and I will be tabling amendments which will ensure that a compensation order means what it says,” Mr Vaz said.

“The ‘Mr Bigs’ are making a mockery of our criminal justice system,” he continued.

“It is appalling that some of Britain’s most serious criminals are hanging on to their proceeds of crime.”

The Chief Crown Prosecutor for Proceeds of Crime at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has said that some success in recovering monies owned by major criminals is being achieved, however.

Nick Price said that 61 offenders had paid in full after having Confiscation Orders worth £1m or more imposed on them by the court – and as a result, nearly £100m had been recouped under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Mr Price said that this had reduced the overall non-payment rate among convicted criminals to 75%.

However, he conceded that improvements in recovering sums owed under the Proceeds of Crime Act needed to be made – and added that the CPS had responded to the culture of non-payment by establishing a specialist asset recovery unit to increase the amount seized from criminals convicted of organised crime.

“Money is the lifeblood of these criminals and is used to fund further crime – so we will be thorough and dynamic in our pursuit of them,” said Mr Price.

“It’s vital that we continue to build on our existing success – many of the criminals we face are particularly devious and go to extraordinary lengths to hide their assets.

“But criminals must not be allowed to profit from illegal activity – and we will be working hard on behalf of the public to ensure crime doesn’t pay.”

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