Combating organised crime: Unexplained wealth


Released 20/02/2020

The ACT Government is continuing to tackle organised crime following the introduction of a localised unexplained wealth scheme designed to strip criminals of assets obtained through illegal activities.

Attorney General Gordon Ramsay said that the legislation would allow law enforcement to deprive offenders of the proceeds of their crime by requiring a person to satisfy the court that their wealth was not the result of criminal activities.

“These reforms will target those who gain material benefits from drug trafficking or other serious organised criminal activity as well as those masterminding or directing criminal activity at arms-length,” Mr Ramsay said.

“This Government will continue to create road-blocks for criminals preventing them from expanding their wealth through illegal activities.

“Criminals are put on notice that we will be looking closely at how they acquire assets, including their homes, vehicles and large amounts of cash.”

Minister Ramsay also tabled a 2019 commissioned independent report that reviewed the operation of crime scene powers and the effectiveness of existing ACT legislative mechanisms to target, disrupt, investigate and prosecute criminal gang members.

Minister Ramsay said the unexplained wealth provisions introduced to the Legislative Assembly today were a key recommendation of that report and that the Government was providing law enforcement agencies with a range of strong legislative powers to combat organised criminal activity.

“I’m pleased the report broadly found that the ACT Government has implemented effective and proportionate responses to serious and organised criminal activity and that ACT law enforcement agencies have several tools to effectively combat serious and organised crime.”

A copy of the report can be found here: http://www.justice.act.gov.au/

- Statement ends -

Gordon Ramsay, MLA | Media Releases


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