Over £5million in cash, cars and drugs seized from criminals
Monday, 18 June, 2012
OFFICERS in Lancashire Constabulary's Serious and Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) seized over £5million in cash, cars and drugs from criminals last year.
The SOCU team work with police officers out in the county's policing divisions, along with local residents, to identify professional and organised criminals who bring fear and harm to the community.
SOCU's work is focused on investigating, disrupting and putting these criminals behind bars.
Through their investigations in 2011/12, officers seized drugs, including heroin and cocaine, worth £1,961,355. Cash totalling £949,735 was also seized, along with 40 vehicles worth £561,026.
The unit, along with dedicated financial investigators out in the divisions, also used legislation under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) to force criminals to surrender £3,667,324 of their illegally amassed cash and assets, including making them sell off expensive cars and homes. This was done through a number of confiscation and forfeiture orders, with twice as many being granted by the courts in comparison to the previous year.
Money collated through POCA court hearings is split between the different criminal justice agencies and is then ploughed back into crime fighting initiatives. Lancashire Constabulary has used some of the criminals' cash that it has received to buy specialist equipment including CCTV and thermal imaging cameras.
Detective Chief Inspector Tim Leeson, Serious and Organised Crime Unit, said: "It is disheartening for law abiding residents when they see criminals living a lavish lifestyle, with large homes, fast cars and other expensive possessions funded by money gained through the misery of others.
"SOCU officers are dedicated to seizing drugs and firearms from criminals so that they cannot benefit from their illegal trade. They also work tirelessly to strip them of the trappings of their criminality, with much of the money going back to community projects so that those who have suffered at the hands of these offenders get some recompense."
He added: "Lancashire Constabulary is relentless in its pursuit of those who are involved in organised crime and we will not stop until offenders are behind bars and their ill-gotten gains are taken from them."
