Crime Proceeds Benefit BC Communities
Saturday, March 30, 2013 @ 11:56 AM
Victoria, B.C. – The provincial government is taking the proceeds and property of crime and using them for anti-crime and anti-domestic violence initiatives.
Two drug trade and gang-related vehicles seized by police are being offered for the use of law enforcement agencies in outreach efforts targeting youth and focused on fighting gang and organized crime. Departments can apply to the Civil Forfeiture Office to use a vehicle for up to two years, then opt to buy it or return it. The department is responsible for operational and insurance costs during the time it has possession of the vehicle.
Minister of Justice and Attorney General Shirley Bond says “I think young people appreciate the irony when they see a drug dealer’s vehicle turned into something that supports police and public safety. We believe the value of loaning the vehicles on an ongoing basis will far exceed what we’d get by just auctioning them off.”
Meantime, three organizations working to combat human trafficking and domestic violence are receiving funding for their projects from the proceeds of unlawful activity. The Nisga’a Sexual Exploitation Awareness Project is getting a $25,000 grant to address human trafficking and sexual exploitation in New Aiyansh and surrounding communities. BC211, a confidential helpline service, receives $27,000 to enhance province-wide training to service providers to recognize the signs and indicators of family violence and violence against women. And the Capital Regional District gets $5,000 to host a workshop on human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
Bond says “The three projects not only show how the strategy is helping keep our communities and families safe, but they also build on our recently-released three-year action plan to combat human trafficking.”
Comments
Always nice to see druggies contributing to the economy, even if it is in a small way LOL
Another $25000 into a big black hole with no accountability ! Human trafficking in New Aiyansh ??? In a community that size I am sure most of the sex offenders are known. How about telling us a year from now how these tax dollars were spent and what was accomplished? I bet there won’t be record keeping whatsoever ! What a waste of money when there are so many legitimate needs !
In a perverse sort of way the Government and those who receive these funds are profiting from the avails of criminal activity.
This is really not a good idea, because they become more and more dependent of criminal activity to fund their operations, much like traffic tickets, etc; .
Hmmmmmmmmmm.
In a perverse sort of way the Government and those who receive these funds are profiting from the avails of criminal activity.
This is really not a good idea, because they become more and more dependent of criminal activity to fund their operations, much like traffic tickets, etc; .
Hmmmmmmmmmm.
Crime does pay. Now almost every one profits except the victims. Spread the wealth, eh?
Shirley Bond needs to give her head a shake. She has absolutely no idea what her Civil Forfeiture Office is really doing.
They’re on a runaway, and there’s no watchdog to oversee what they’re doing.
Such as a guy in Nelson who had 37 pot plants, and they’re taking his house??????
Another with 53 plants, had to pay them $75,000 to keep her home of 25 years. In any other world that would be extortion.
The more cases the police send them, the more lawyers they hire. People don’t even have to be convicted, in fact charges don’t even have to be laid.
The judges hands are tied with the way the legislation is written, so that they win them all.
It’s probably the biggest cash grab in history.
Confiscation of property? Seems to me I just read an article concerning a similar problem in Cyprus. Money is not property?
mys2bits: “Such as a guy in Nelson who had 37 pot plants, and they’re taking his house??????
Another with 53 plants, had to pay them $75,000 to keep her home of 25 years. In any other world that would be extortion.”
That to me would be saying it’s probably not a good idea to grow dope in your house.
“Two drug trade and gang-related vehicles seized by police are being offered for the use of law”
Hey just like Miami Vice but here maybe its a tricked out diesel pickup with a turbocharged sled.
The headline is misleading. Crime does not benefit any community, unless you define the community to be a criminal gang.
Shirly Bond is so smart God bless her.
Cheers
These types of programs have been used in the good old USA, especially in the Southern States, and they have gotten totally out of control.
Police can pull you over and if they **think** you have committed a crime they can seize your car, everything in it, and all your cash, all under the guise of enforcing the law.
You have to go through one hell of a process to get your property back. (If you ever do).
This is not the type of enforcement we want in Canada or BC. These Liberals once again show how stupid they really are.
We are not to far removed from a Police state.
Are they going to give the houses back when pot is legalized — because it will be at some point in the near future. And it should be.
Posted by: Big Bore on March 30 2013 11:00 PM
Are they going to give the houses back when pot is legalized — because it will be at some point in the near future. And it should be.
Only after an audit is done on the projected revenue the drug property has generated and all the applicable taxes are paid sure then give the house back.
After all it was after tax dollars I spent on my car stereo before the petty thief broken into my car and stole whatever she/he could to buy the dope.
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out whether it is a “home”, or a “house”.
If there is any gang related grow-ops, they are sophisticated, hundreds and thousands of plants, houses gutted for the operation.
We all agree these should be forfeited. If there’s a few plants in a very primitive operation, how is seizing the home going to combat organized crime?
Murderers, rapists, pedophiles do a few years in jail and come back to their homes. Nobody takes them.
The punishment doesn’t fit the crime.
Who has the highest investment in the houses which have been turned into industrial rather than residential use – banks or the registered owner?
10% down with 90% loan is, in effect, a business loan rather than a home owner’s loan via a mortgage.
Nice deal if you can get it.
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