E.R.
3 -
well-being, and referred to the indescribable despair, terror and
squalor which was already caused by the misuse of hard drugs in the
United States. The Committee made a number of urgent recommendations for intensifying law enforcement against drug trafficking, attacking the profits of the traffickers by providing for the seizure and forfeiture of their assets, and preventing the laundering of money which represents the proceeds of drug trafficking. The Government is grateful to the Committee for its report, and fully accepts the need for early
and effective action.
THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS
7. There is increasing recognition that wide-ranging powers for tracing and confiscating the proceeds of drug trafficking are an essential weapon in tackling drugs misuse. With this in mind we envisage that legislation will include the following measures:
(a)
a new offence of handling the proceeds of drug trafficking;
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
power for investigation authorities to obtain information
about the movement or disposal of the proceeds of drug
trafficking;
power for the High Court to make interim restraint orders
freezing the assets of a person accused of drug trafficking
or of the new offence;
a requirement that the Crown Court impose upon a person convicted
of drug trafficking, or of the new offence, a confiscatory fine
equal to the proceeds of his offences;
provision for the enforcement of such a fine by proceedings in
the High Court to realise any of the offender's assets; and
increased maximum periods of imprisonment to be served in default
of payment of a large fine.