Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
28 April 2008
£20 MILLION BARRIER SMASHED
The Proceeds of Crime Act continues to reap rewards as a staggering £21m has been secured since the Act came into force, the Lord Advocate, The Right Honourable Elish Angiolini QC, announced today ahead of the next meeting of the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce.
In the past year alone, the Civil Recovery Unit has recovered £2,700,455, the largest amount recovered by the unit in one year.
In the same period, prosecutors have secured confiscation orders worth £2,847,037.
The Lord Advocate said:
"Anyone looking to fund their lifestyle from crime should take note. The latest figures show we are taking the equivalent of £54,000 each week from convicted criminals, and over £25,000 a week from cash seizures.
"The police, prosecutors and other agencies are making increasing use of the powers available to them under the Act. This is why, year on year, we continue to pursue the assets and profits from crime to inflict long-term damage not only on serious criminal organisations but also on those who profit from crime, by removing substantial assets gained as a result of criminality."
Since 2003 a total of £21,044,009 has been secured under the Proceeds of Crime Act, including more than £5.5m in the past year alone.
The Civil Recovery Unit has recovered over £2.7m in the past year. Over £1.3m of this is in cash seizures alone. This is money, the courts have concluded, was the result of a variety of types of criminal activity.
The National Casework Division, in Crown Office, deals with the confiscation of the proceeds of crime following conviction. It has secured £2.8m during the past financial year.
Notes to editors:
1. Money recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act, up to a maximum of £17m a year, is invested by Scottish Ministers in community projects aimed at alleviating the effects of crime. If more than £17m is recovered in any financial year the balance is sent to the UK Treasury.
2. The National Casework Division and Civil Recovery units work with colleagues at the Scottish Drugs Enforcement Agency, UK Police Forces and HM Revenue and Customs to identify and recover the proceeds of crime.
3. The total amount secured is made up of £2,847,037 from criminals convicted of related offences; £1,335,188 from cash seizures, and £1,365,267 from recovery orders granted by the civil courts.
4. Breakdown of Figures - National Casework Division:
| Total amount of confiscation orders | £1,494,365 |
2004-2005 | Total amount of confiscation orders | £1,347,599 |
2005-2006 | Total amount of confiscation orders | £3,469,739 |
2006-2007 | Total amount of confiscation orders | £4,424,313 |
2007-2008 | Total amount of confiscation orders | £2,847,037 |
Total | | £13,583,053 |
Note: The years are financial years (1 April to 31 March)
5. Breakdown of Figures - Civil Recovery Unit
| Civil Recovery | Cash Seizures | Total |
| £23,986 | £672,824 | £696,810 |
2004-2005 | £203,408 | £797,839 | £1,001,247 |
2005-2006 | £761,602 | £604,200 | £1,365,802 |
2006-2007 | £496,215 | £1,200,427 | £1,696,642 |
2007-2008 | £1,365,267 | £1,335,188 | £2,700,455 |
Totals | £2,850,478 | £4,610,478 | £7,460,956 |
Note: The years are financial years (1 April to 31 March)
6. The Serious Organised Crime Taskforce brings together for the first time the Lord Advocate, ACPOS, the SCDEA, the Serious Organised Crime Agency, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, the Scottish Prison Service and the Scottish Government.
Contact: Communications 0844 561 3708
Internet: www.copfs.gov.uk