Seized criminal assets to be given to NI communities

The British Government has announced that some assets seized from organised criminals in the North will be diverted to local community schemes.

The first year of the project will see £175,000 being diverted to two government departments, which will allocate the money to deprived areas.

Last year, the PSNI and other law enforcement agencies seized more than £7m worth of assets from suspected criminals.

Security Minister Paul Goggins says the £175,000 allocation is just the beginning and will be built on in the years to come.