CAB seizes €19m in unpaid taxes

The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) collected more than €19m in unpaid taxes from suspected crooks in 2006, it emerged today.

The Bureau also secured High Court orders in separate bids to seize €8.5m of the proceeds of criminal activity.

The 11th Annual Report was today published by Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan and sent to the Oireachtas.

Mr Lenihan said the report proved the success of the Bureau in pursuing the assets of those who seek to benefit from criminal activity.

"The Bureau remains an important and integral element in the fight against crime. Its valuable work helps to ensure that crime does not pay."

He commended CAB for its continued development of international links which help ensure that the proceeds of crime will be tracked down regardless of location.

The minister also said he wants to create more co-operation between CAB and drug operations in all Garda divisions.

"As it is, profilers trained by CAB are now present in every Garda division. The message should be clear: drug dealing by anybody on whatever scale is unacceptable and will be pursued," he noted.

In 2006, CAB also made social welfare savings of more than €297,000 and recovered more than €139,704 in illegally obtained benefits.

The Criminal Assets Bureau was set up in 1996 to deal with increasing levels of serious organised crime in the wake of the murders of Veronica Guerin and Det Garda Jerry McCabe.

In its first decade, it secured High Court orders to seize €90m worth of illegal assets.

In the same period, it collected unpaid taxes and interest to the value of €108 million.

Social welfare savings totalled almost €3m and recovery of overpayments amounted to more than €2m.

Under 1996 legislation underpinning Cab, the agency can apply to the High Court for an interim order which will freeze assets which can be shown to be the proceeds of crime.

The Bureau can then seek an interlocutory (or final restraint) order which freezes the specified property for a period of seven years.

The Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Act 2005 brought in increased powers for CAB officers.

Illegal assets can now be sold off without having to await the expiry of the seven-year period.

Foreign criminality also now be taken into account in assessing whether assets are the proceeds of criminal conduct.