Police to get sweeping new asset seizure powers
Criminals nabbed with guns or drugs risk having assets including cryptocurrency seized under sweeping new laws to be introduced in Victorian parliament today.
Cryptocurrency platforms will also be forced to hand over information about suspects and authorities will have the power to seize digital “wallets” in a bid to tackle crime.
Victorian Attorney-General Jaclyn SymesCredit:Penny Stephens
The proposed laws will strengthen asset confiscation laws and give authorities more power to investigate and seize proceeds of crime in Victoria.
“These reforms will provide law enforcement with greater opportunities to confiscate proceeds of crime, ensuring there’s no pay day for criminals,” Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes said.
Convictions for possessing a traffickable quantity of firearms, drug and sexual offences will automatically trigger the forfeiture of assets under the new laws.
It will also be easier for police to use fake identities to target and investigate online child grooming, under the supervision of another officer.
“The way criminals operate is changing rapidly – we need to be just as quick in empowering our police to respond to new ways of offending, crack down on crime and keep the community safe,” Police Minister Anthony Carbines said.
There will be provisions to ensure safeguards and oversight measures remain including court monitoring of the execution of search warrants.
The changes stem from the government’s Community Safety Statement of 2018-19.
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