Organised criminals caught with guns, drugs face losing homes, cars under tough new laws

Gangsters’ cryptocurrency profits will be snatched under tough new laws, which will also target their homes and cars.

Organised crime figures caught with guns or drugs risk having their cryptocurrency profits, homes, cars and other assets seized under sweeping new ­confiscation laws.

Law changes will also make it easier for police to assume fake identities to unmask online predators grooming children.

Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes said the reforms reflected “the realities of modern policing” and were ­essential in the fight against crime.

The state government on Tuesday will put the Major Crime and Community Safety Legislation Amendment Bill to the Victorian parliament.

The legislation will also move to crack down on ­predators using fake identities to groom children by giving Victoria Police more powers to unmask them.

Criminals’ digital assets will be under the microscope amid the boom in the use of ­cryptocurrency by drug ­traffickers.

Authorities will be able to compel cryptocurrency platforms to surrender information about suspects in the same way that banks must.

Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes said the reforms were essential in the fight against crime. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Investigators will also be able to take digital “wallets”.

There would be greater ability to obtain electronic data and to take copies from computers and storage devices found in raids.

Officers would be allowed to bring in people with specialist skills, such as locksmiths, to carry out warrants.

Court oversight of search warrant execution will be streamlined.

Victims of crime are set to receive greater compensation under the laws.

More money will be paid to them from forfeited property, including by removing the restriction that compensation has to relate to the same offence for which someone’s property was seized by the state.

Convictions for gun trafficking, drug dealing and sex offences will lead to assets being automatically forfeited.

The Bill will also expand powers to catch cyber pedophiles.

Investigators will also be able to take digital ‘wallets’.

Ms Symes said police would have more scope to assume false identities when probing ­online predators, under the supervision of a sworn officer.

Intelligence officers would be able to do so more easily with removal of the requirement that the Chief Commissioner approve it.

Police Minister Anthony Carbines said the criminal world was quickly changing.

“We need to be just as quick in empowering our police to respond to new ways of offending, crack down on crime and keep the community safe,” Mr Carbines said.

The laws will contain provisions to ensure safeguards and oversight measures ­remain, including court monitoring of the execution of warrants and court directions that seized items be returned to owners.

The changes stem from the government’s Community Safety Statement of 2018-19.

High-level criminals often view prison terms as an occupational hazard and do time inside easier than most people.

Police Minister Anthony Carbines said the new laws will help keep the community safe. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Police say what often hurts gang bosses harder is when authorities take things such as luxury homes and pimped-out cars from them and their networks of enablers.

Tony Mokbel lost $50m in assets – including 60 properties – in a Purana taskforce ­attack on the empire he built trafficking drugs.

That was almost two decades ago and seizures have climbed under an ­intensifying effort by Victoria Police’s ­assets confiscation squad.

Cars are being removed at a rate of 100 a year; 247 cars were taken in the five years to June last year.

Also seized was $40m in cash, 182 bank accounts and 43 share portfolios.

Criminals operating cannabis crop houses were among the biggest losers in the assets grab.

They frequently use the profits from the houses to sponsor other crime investments, such as international drug shipments.