RCPO Exceeds Target For Confiscation Of Criminal Assets

The Asset Forfeiture Division of the Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office has exceeded its 2006/07 target for the recovery of criminal assets. More than £23 million pounds has been seized so far from convicted criminals by lawyers from RCPO over the last year, exceeding their original goal of £22.7 million.

The Director of RCPO, David Green QC, said today: “This is a terrific achievement. The Asset Forfeiture team has worked extremely hard over the last year. Ensuring that criminals do not benefit from their dishonesty is a major priority across the criminal justice system, and I am delighted that RCPO has made such a significant contribution to that effort.

“Confiscation is an increasingly important part of RCPO’s work, and I have reflected this by expanding the team in the last few months. I appointed Alun Milford as Head of Division in January, and will continue to prioritise enforcement activity.

“I have no doubt that this is a good investment of RCPO resources. We have a very high level of expertise in this type of work and I am confident we will maintain solid performance in this area.”

Trevor Millington, a senior lawyer with AFD, is co-author of the standard practitioners’ text on the subject. The Proceeds of Crime: The Law and Practice of Restraint, Confiscation, Condemnation and Forfeiture was published by O.U.P. on 29 March 2007. RCPO’s Director, David Green QC commented, “I am delighted that such an influential text is co-authored by one of RCPO’s lawyers.”

Notes to editors

RCPO’s Asset Forfeiture Division is headed by Alun Milford. In addition to the confiscation of assets after conviction, it can also restrain the assets of suspects and defendants during the investigation and prosecution stages of the process, so that funds and property cannot be disposed of or hidden before the end of trial.
Trevor Millington joined RCPO’s predecessor, the Solicitor’s Office of Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise in 1987. He is now a senior lawyer in RCPO’s Asset Forfeiture Division, where he has worked since establishing its predecessor in HM Customs and Excise in 1989. He is a practitioner of great experience, who has been involved in a number of landmark cases. He has also drafted Gibraltar’s money laundering legislation.
AFD’s recovery target for the next financial year will be £26.5 million.
The Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office was created by the CRC Act 2005. An independent prosecuting authority, RCPO is superintended by the Attorney General. It is responsible for prosecuting some of the largest drug and fraud cases in the UK. The Director is David Green, QC.

For further information see www.rcpo.gov.uk

Contact details:

RCPO Press Office: 020 7865 5666
Out of hours: 07770 703315
E-mail: pressoffice@rcpo.gsi.gov.uk