PROCEEDS OF CRIME
ACT
Source: Hull Daily Mail
Pub Date: Thursday, March 3 2005
Pub LTE: Proceeds of Crime Act
Author: Carl Wagner http://www.lca-uk.org/
The
Proceeds of Crime Act has been trumpeted as a tool for recovering the assets of
serious drug traffickers.
In
reality, it looks set to become a gold mine for law enforcers and a nightmare
for thousands of ordinary people.
A 20
per cent cash incentive means police are increasingly using civil forfeiture
laws because property can be seized even if its owner is never convicted of a
crime.
Even
acquittal of the criminal charges the forfeiture is based upon does not prevent
retrying the same facts.
Innocent
until proven guilty is reversed and the defendant is forced to hire legal help
to prove his innocence.
This
takes us back to medieval times when millions of people across Western Europe
were tortured or put to death without trial for such "sins" as
reading a sorcerer's book, having a witch's habit (taking a bath or falling
into a river), and even for having cannabis-related knowledge.
Moreover,
if the Government and police have a financial incentive to investigate
individuals and seize property without even having to prove their allegations
in court, then the system is corrupt by definition and every arrest is suspect.
Carl Wagner, Legalise Cannabis Alliance PPC Hull North.