Article: Proceeds of Crime Act – 20 Years On

Posted on13 February 2024

By Helen Gregory, Forensic Director, Milsted Langdon

The Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA), a pivotal piece of UK legislation enacted
in 2002, has reached its 20-year milestone. This Act represents the Government’s commitment to tackling money laundering and organised crime by allowing law enforcement to seize assets derived from criminal activities. As we review two decades of its implementation, we see significant impacts and ongoing challenges.

Impact on Criminal Justice
POCA’s most notable impact lies in its transformation of the criminal justice landscape. The Act empowered authorities to seize, freeze, and forfeit criminal assets, significantly disrupting the economic foundations of organised crime.

The aim was for this to be a major deterrent to criminal activities and a tool for dismantling criminal networks. Whilst cynics may comment that only the low hanging fruit are picked off rather than the real kingpins, it has changed the focus of prosecutors.

There have been a number of landmark cases in recent years, where considerable sums have been recorded in excess of £20 million, with the highest case to date seeing more than £34 million seized.

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