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Ministry of the Attorney General Ministère du Procureur général PDF Version

For Immediate Release
May 16, 2006



CASH FORFEITED AS PROCEED OF UNLAWFUL ACTIVITY


Attorney General Uses Civil Asset Forfeiture Law To Seize Drug Money

HAILEYBURY — Nearly $100,000 has been forfeited to the Crown under the Remedies for Organized Crime and Other Unlawful Activities Act (Civil Remedies Act), Attorney General Michael Bryant announced today.

"We are pleased to have this money forfeited," said Bryant. "People should not be able to profit from unlawful activities. A total of $99,000 in cash, seized by Ontario Provincial Police near Kirkland Lake, has been forfeited as a proceed of unlawful activity."

OPP officers were confronted with suspicious circumstances when a large amount of cash was found in the back of a car during a motor vehicle search. On May 15, 2006, the court ordered $99,000 forfeited to the Crown under the Civil Remedies Act.

The Civil Remedies Act authorizes the Attorney General to ask civil courts to freeze, seize and forfeit the proceeds and instruments of unlawful activity to the Crown. Civil asset forfeiture focuses solely on the connection between property and unlawful activity and is not dependant on any criminal charges or convictions. The legislation acts to prevent people from keeping assets acquired through unlawful activity and to prevent assets and property from continuing to being used to engage in unlawful activities.


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Contacts:
Brendan Crawley
Communications Branch
(416) 326-2210


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