Pubdate: Sat, 11 Mar 2000 Source: Irish Independent (Ireland) Copyright: Independent Newspapers (Ireland) Ltd Contact: http://www.independent.ie/ Author: Tom Brady, Security Editor CAB SEIZES POUNDS 13M FROM CRIMINALS The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB), the multi-agency group which has spearheaded the drive against drug barons and crime gang bosses, has seized more than pounds 13m in assets since it was established four years ago. The bureau was set up as part of a major anti crime package introduced by the Rainbow Coalition in the wake of journalist Veronica Guerin's murder in June 1996 and based on legislative proposals tabled by current Justice Minister John O'Donoghue. The personnel strength of the CAB, which includes gardai, revenue officials and members of the Department of Social Affairs, has been increased recently to 45 and is headed by Det Chief Supt Felix McKenna. Latest figures show the CAB seized an estimated pounds 1.3m last year under the Proceeds of Crime Act, compared with pounds 2.7m in 1998, pounds 3.8m in 1997 and pounds 4.1m in 1996. The CAB also demanded tax and interest totalling pounds 32.7m over the past four years and collected pounds 3.1m in taxes. The figures for last year were pounds 13.3m and pounds 2.3m, respectively. The bureau activities also resulted in social welfare savings of pounds 734,109 in the four years, including pounds 279,000 last year. It is regarded nationally and internationally as a model operation and is being studied by government advisers in several overseas jurisdictions as an effective crime fighting weapon. Its targets in the past few years have included international and local drug traffickers and gangland bosses as well overseas based crime gangs. - --- MAP posted-by: Allan Wilkinson