Tasmania Police target $2m in crime loot

POLICE  and the state’s top prosecutor are looking to strip $2 million in cash, property and firearms from Tasmania’s criminal underbelly.

The unexplained wealth unit are looking to strip $2 million in cash, property and firearms from Tasmania’s criminal underbelly. Picture: ANDY BAKER

POLICE  and the state’s top prosecutor are looking to strip $2 million in cash, property and firearms from Tasmania’s criminal underbelly.

The unexplained wealth unit — a Tasmania Police and Justice Department joint taskforce — was established last year to go after crooks’ assets.

New laws allow the unit to seize suspect assets from their owners even if they have not been charged with, let alone been convicted of, a crime.

Since the laws were introduced in 2013 the amount seized has ballooned.

In 2013/14 police seized about $60,000 in a pilot of the program.

Last year, the State Government injected $350,000 to set up the unit between police and the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The investment paid off with authorities reaping $800,000 in cash, property and firearms.

All of the assets were seized from people involved in trafficking amphetamines.

This year, the unit is looking to track down $2 million in ill-gotten gains relating to three separate cases.

Deputy Police Commissioner Scott Tilyard said unexplained wealth laws were a crucial tool in the “fight against serious organised crime in this state”.

“If a criminal can’t prove they acquired their house, new car and big bank account legitimately — an application can be made for the forfeiture of the assets,” he said.

“When criminals are targeted and their assets acquired through criminal activity are seized — that’s not only a ­deterrent, it undermines the capacity to commit further crime.”

Investigations into unexplained wealth are often very complex and time consuming.

The unit consists of a senior state prosecutor and a forensic accountant along with two cops from the Serious and Organised Crime Unit.

Once the assets such as property are approved for seizure by the court they are sold.

Police Minister Rene Hidding has described unexplained wealth laws as a “paradigm shift” for dealing with organised crime in Tasmania.

“This is historic activity or it will become historic in turning around the fortunes of serious crime operators in the state of Tasmania,” he told Parliament earlier this year.

“These are very clever people. Otherwise they would already have been before the courts. The new paradigm of policing at this level is to follow the money.”

Originally published as Tasmania Police target $2m in crime loot