Proceeds of Crime

BBC Radio 4's Law in Action was broadcast on Friday, 5 November 2004 at 1600 GMT.

The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 came into power in February 2003 to consolidate and expand all earlier anti-money laundering legislation.

As a result the Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) was formed, an independent government department, which was awarded a new power of 'civil recovery'.

This allows the ARA to order the seizure of an individual's property and money if it is believed to have been acquired as a result of criminal activity.

This is geared toward stopping criminals in their tracks, even if a criminal conviction somehow fails -- assets can still be seized and then it must be proved that these are not the fruits of illegal enterprise. This week Law in Action reports on the working practice of this legislation.