Tasmania Police’s Unexplained Wealth Unit seized more than a million dollars in cash and assets last financial year.
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The unit was set-up following the introduction of controversial new laws in 2013 that give police permission to seize a person’s assets without them having been convicted of a crime.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution’s annual report – released on Thursday – shows the unit has been a success, Attorney-General Vanessa Goodwin said.
“The ODPP report shows that $1,144,640 was forfeited, in either cash or assets, in 2015-16 through the actions of the Unexplained Wealth Unit,” she said.
“Unexplained wealth provisions are a crucial tool in the fight against serious organised crime as they have the potential to dismantle and disrupt crime and can result in the forfeiture of millions of dollars of assets from criminals.”
The Unexplained Wealth Unit is part of Tasmania Police’s Serious Organised Crime Division, which works in conjunction with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution.
Dr Goodwin said crime across the state was decreasing, and said the unit was partly responsible.
