Cops to seize drug house

[Tom]

NT Police yesterday placed a restraining order on a comfortable suburban townhouse under the Criminal Property Forfeiture Act.

 

Two vehicles and $90,000 cash belonging to the owners of 3/4 Winston St, Stuart Park, in Darwin, are also the subject of a restraining order after police allegedly found more than 12kg of cannabis hidden inside last month.

William John McGregor, 60, and Maria Laidat-McGregor, 36, are charged with possessing a commercial quantity of cannabis, supplying a traffickable quantity of cannabis and possessing the cash and proceeds of crime.

 

Both were remanded in custody and are due to appear at Darwin Magistrates Court for a hand-up committal on July 5.

 

The two-bedroom townhouse is believed to be valued at $200,000.

 

A court will decide whether the townhouse, vehicles and cash are the proceeds of crime when the criminal case has been finalised.

 

If proven to be the proceeds of crime, the townhouse and vehicles will be sold and along with the $90,000 cash deposited as general revenue by the NT Government.

 

In the past 11 months, property worth $376,000 has been forfeited to the Government under the Criminal Property Forfeiture Act.

 

Property valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars is under a restraining order.

 

Superintendent Kris Evans said the aim of the Act was to ensure drug traffickers did not enjoy the proceeds of their crimes after serving their custodial sentence.

 

"A person who is dealing in drugs might get a six-month custodial sentence and then get out and they're free to spend the proceeds of their crime," he said.

 

"If police can prove their property was used or was purchased with money derived from their illegal activities they won't be able to do that."

 

Author:Greg McLean

Date:June 03, 2005

Source:news.com.au

Copyright:Copyright 2005 News Limited.

 

[WantDaChronic]

"A person who is dealing in drugs might get a six-month custodial sentence and then get out and they're free to spend the proceeds of their crime," he said.

 

"If police can prove their property was used or was purchased with money derived from their illegal activities they won't be able to do that."

 

see now they were stupid...what they should have done was bury the money in a suitcase, ring up aca, today tonight, etc. and then call the police...when they all come around, tell the camera crews to start filming because you dont trust the police and count it on camera, infront of the police and then hand it over to the piggers...you gotta make sure its a messed up amount no-one could guess (throwing 35 cents in comes to mind ) and in a few months after no-one has guessed the correct amount, the police by law are forced to give it back to the person who found it :thumbsup sadly, finders keepers only applies in that instance, keeping the money like that bank worker did the other week with over $250k will land you in extremely hot water :thumbdown

 

also, although it is an extremely smart way of making drug money legit, it carries lots of risks and if you do manage to pull it off, remember that the chances of you digging up another suitcase of cash in you life is less likely to happen than you winning powerball on 150 million in other words dont try and do it twice and really make it worth your while the first time :sly