Pubdate: Thu, 13 Nov 2003
Source: Prince George Citizen (CN BC)
Copyright: 2003 Prince George Citizen
Contact:  http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/350
Author: Mark Nielsen

PROVINCE PONDERING SEIZURE OF CRIME ASSETS

Those caught growing rich off crime in B.C. will soon have even more than 
the police to worry about.

Legislation is in the works, Solicitor General Rich Coleman said Wednesday, 
to allow the province to seize assets gained through crime, and may lead to 
government officials joining police when they swoop in on marijuana-growing 
operations. Moreover, once seized, Coleman said it will be up to the 
suspect to prove the items were purchased with legitimately-earned income.

"When we bring (the legislation) in, when law enforcement gets a grow-op 
and they take it down, our guys can go right behind them or with them and 
they can seize the house, seize the bank account, seize the car and say 
'OK, prove to us that all of this has been bought with legal money,'" he 
told a Prince George Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

Officials in the province's revenue branch already have similar powers to 
deal with businesses who have failed to pay their taxes. Auditors can slap 
them with a bill dating back six years, and it's up to such businesses to 
prove they've already paid the money.

"It's a reverse onus on you to prove to us that you don't owe us those 
taxes," Coleman said. "So why can't there be a reverse onus on organized 
crime?"

Coleman said the provincial government has figured out a way, through 
B.C.'s Revenue Act, to go after successful criminals and will introduce 
legislation this spring to allow the civil forfeiture of the proceeds of crime.

Once in place, Coleman said assets seized will be sold and the money raised 
will be reinvested in fighting crime -- a comment that drew applause from 
those at the luncheon.

Given the prevalence of grow operations and the amount of drug-related 
crime committed in B.C., Coleman said such legislation is necessary to get 
tough on such ventures.

Coleman also highlighted the effort to give police across the province a 
uniform computer and data system. Called Police Records Information 
Management Environment (PRIME), Coleman said the system will allow police 
to share information about criminals and crimes within minutes.

The $20-million system is currently being introduced on southern Vancouver 
Island and the Lower Mainland and should be in place across the province by 
the middle of next year.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman