Pubdate: Thu, 11 Dec 2003 Source: Oklahoman, The (OK) Copyright: 2003 The Oklahoma Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.oklahoman.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/318 Author: Diana Baldwin Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/af.htm (Asset Forfeiture) DRUG SEIZURE MONEY TOPS $10 MILLION Nearly $10 million and more than 4,600 pounds of drugs have been seized in the last three years by a local drug task force, but authorities say they've barely touched on the illegal activity. Oklahoma County First Assistant District Attorney John Jacobsen said those numbers create an alarming picture of local drug activity. "The scope of the illegal drug activity is epidemic," Jacobsen said. The Oklahoma County district attorney files about 500 to 600 forfeiture cases a year, Jacobsen said. Almost $5 million has been forfeited and about 500 cases filed for the year. This doesn't include nearly $2 million -- because of possible appeals -- seized from two Illinois men. Those men denied knowing who owned the 157 bundles of money wrapped in duct tape and hidden in the roof of their vehicle when they were stopped May 16 on Interstate 35 for having an illegal tag displayed. One of the men said he would rather not say how he got possession of the money. The other man said he didn't know where the cash came from. Oklahoma County District Attorney Wes Lane filed forfeiture paperwork to get the $1,913,839, because he thought the cash was drug money. District Judge Noma Gurich awarded the prosecutor the money after no one stepped forward to claim it. Prosecutors routinely turn to civil forfeiture proceedings for money, property and vehicles associated with illegal drugs, gambling and racketeering. But such a large forfeiture is rare. The bulk of the seizures are the result of work by the Central Oklahoma Metro Interdiction Team, referred to as COMIT, a multiagency drug task force made up of Oklahoma City and Oklahoma County officers and operated out of the district attorney's office. The drug forfeiture statutes were enacted in 1971. The state Legislature seven years later passed a law creating the drug revolving fund that is to be used at the discretion of the district attorney. The forfeited money pays for COMIT operations and helps operate the district attorney's office and fulfill sharing agreements among the agencies in the task force, Jacobsen said. Some opponents are critical of district attorneys because they claim prosecutors are pursuing the money and not the criminal case. Jacobsen disputes that. "We never look at forfeitures as a steady way to supplement our budget," Jacobsen said. "We know it's not a for-sure thing." - --- MAP posted-by: Josh