E.R.
CONFISCATION OF THE PROCEEDS OF DRUG TRAFFICKING
INTRODUCTION
1. Drug misuse is among the most serious threats facing society today. The Government has developed a coherent and comprehensive strategy to
This involves action on a number of fronts,
tackle the problem.
(1)
including the strengthening of deterrent measures.
2.
Drug traffickers, who grow wealthy by bringing misery and death to
others, are a group whose activities no civilised society can tolerate.
Convicted drug traffickers already face long prison sentences. The
maximum penalty for trafficking in drugs such as heroin and cocaine has
recently been increased to life imprisonment. But even this may not be
a sufficient deterrent if traffickers can look forward to enjoying the
fruits of their ill-gotten gains on their eventual release. The
Government intends, therefore, to provide the courts with the necessary
powers to confiscate the proceeds of their crimes. Traffickers must
not be able to retain their profits to enjoy on their release from
prison or, still worse, to finance further drug trafficking by themselves
or their associates.
3. The Government's proposals for tracing and confiscating the proceeds
of drug trafficking have been developed in consultation with those who
will be directly involved in the operation of the new powers, including
the police, HM Customs and representatives of the banks. Account has
been taken of recommendations made by the House of Commons Home Affairs
(2) Committee
and by a Committee established by the Howard League under
(3) the chairmanship of Mr Justice Hodgson.
In accordance with an under-
taking given by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Home
Office, Mr David Mellor, in reply to a Parliamentary Question on 24 May
>
(1)
(2)
"Tackling Drug Misuse: a summary of the Government's strategy" (Home Office)
Fifth Report from the Home Affairs Committee, Session 1984-85, Misuse of Hard Drugs (Interim Report)
(3) "The Profits of Crime and their Recovery": Report of a Committee
chaired by Sir Derek Hodgson.
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