Pubdate: Fri, 04 Nov 2005
Source: StarPhoenix, The (CN SN)
Copyright: 2005 The StarPhoenix
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/saskatoon/starphoenix/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/400
Author: Saskatchewan News Network

PROVINCE ADDS CRIMEFIGHTING TOOL

REGINA -- The provincial government is trying to crack down on crime 
in Saskatchewan with new legislation that allows police to seize 
property gained through or used in illegal activity.

Justice Minister Frank Quennell announced the proclamation of the 
Seizure of Criminal Property Act Thursday, calling it another step in 
the government's plan to "make the province a hostile environment for 
organized crime.

"We have a growing problem with gangs and with organized crime," he 
said. "I think people tend to think that gangs, as we understand them 
in Saskatchewan, aren't organized crime, they're not in business. 
Even where that's true, it won't be true for long."

Under the act, the chief of police in a jurisdiction can make an 
application in civil court to have property seized which is believed 
to be the gains of crime or is being used to carry out a crime.

In the event the person suspected of being in possession of such 
property is a member of a criminal organization, police must only be 
able to show that person has been previously convicted of engaging in 
organized crime. Police must only be able to show that the property 
was more likely than not gained through crime.

In the case of an individual criminal, there must be some proof that 
the property is the result of or being used in crime.

It is then up to the alleged criminal to prove the property isn't 
more likely than not the result of crime.

If the property is indeed deemed to be criminally linked, it will 
become property of the provincial government and sold, with the 
proceeds to cover the police force's legal bills.

Quennell said similar legislation is already in place in Ontario and 
Manitoba and has gone through first reading in the B.C. legislature.

Regina Police Service deputy chief Clive Weighill said even though 
the province doesn't have the large-scale crime syndicates that some 
provinces and states do, the legislation will be important in the 
fight against crime.

"One of the methods we have in stopping crime is taking away the 
ill-gotten gains from crime," he said. "If someone is selling drugs 
and the gains they're getting from it keeps disappearing on them and 
they have to keep reinvesting to buy their drugs and reinvesting to 
buy their property again, it certainly does put a dent in their activity."

He said it won't, however, be used on a regular basis.

"There would be a lengthy investigation done before we would even 
contemplate using this so it would only be a few times in a year," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman