CRIME WILL NOT PAY SAYS BLIGH

The Premier has announced plans to toughen the State Government’s ability to confiscate the proceeds of crime.

The proposed crackdown will include:

• A new power to seize a criminal’s overseas property.

• A new power to substitute alternative possessions for seizure when a criminal has already disposed of tainted property.

• A new offence targeting people who recklessly handle stolen goods or cash with a maximum penalty of ten years in prison.

“Under this crackdown crime will not pay in Queensland. These laws will mean that even when the criminal thinks they got clean away with it, they haven’t,” said the Premier.

The Criminal Proceeds Confiscation Act governing the confiscation of proceeds of crime in Queensland was introduced in 2002.

“Over $18 million in proceeds of crime have been recovered in that time and the law is working well, but there are a number of loopholes that we now want to close,” said Ms Bligh.

The Premier said that under current laws courts cannot make an order compelling a person to return property to Queensland which is held outside of the State.

“Under these new laws the Court could order a person to return money in a Swiss bank account to Queensland.

“It stops criminals taking their loot offshore and out of reach,” she said.

Ms Bligh said the new laws would allow authorities to seize alternative property when a criminal has already disposed of tainted property.

“This means a criminal can actually lose their own home if the proceeds of their crime cannot be recovered,” she said.

The Premier said she also welcomed a new offence of reckless money laundering for people who deal in property they should reasonably have suspected was tainted.

“We’ve all heard the stories of someone who got a great deal on a cheap stereo or TV sold out of the boot of a car,” Ms Bligh said.

“What many people don’t think about or don’t want to think about is that they have most likely paid for stolen property.

“What we want to do is make it an offence of money laundering if people are reckless on their consideration as to whether the property was tainted. This will bring us into line with a number of other Australian jurisdictions.”

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Kerry Shine said current laws make it difficult for investigators to charge people with money laundering if they have purchased tainted property.

“Currently police have to prove the person buying the stolen item knew it was tainted before they can be charged,” Mr Shine said

“Under the new law police would be able to charge someone with money laundering if they have been reckless in their consideration about where that property has come from.”

“We’re proposing the new sentence would carry a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and I hope it will make people stop and think about where an item they are considering buying has come from.”

Ms Bligh said the measures were designed to provide authorities with greater power to fight organised crime.

“We are determined to ensure those people involved in organised crime do not profit from it and that means taking from them assets which were acquired through their illegal activities,” she said.

The proposed laws are scheduled be introduced into Parliament by December 2008.

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