Swedish EU commissioner to make it easier to confiscate criminal funds in the EU

Tuesday, 13 March 2012
The Swedish EU commissioner, Cecilia Malmström is unveiling a bill at the EU level that will make it easier for police to crack down on crimes across the EU. In so doing will hit hard on the earnings of criminals and thus confiscate their earnings from criminality.

Organized crimes are making huge money in the EU - estimated into multi-billion EUROS in revenue from crimes in Europe each year. Now it should be easier for police to confiscate things such as houses, cars and other luxury goods that have been gained as a result of criminality.

“That's the best way, "go for the money". Turn to where it really hurts,” said Commissioner Cecilia Malmström.

With the bill, the assets of criminals will quickly be frozen when prosecutors believe they would disappear abroad. Criminals should not get away with giving away their possessions to others is as to hide their tracks. The gifts should also be seized by the police.

In addition, it will be easier to confiscate assets that can not be tied to a specific crime, but to a person's criminal activities.
“It may be, for example, money from drug activities of the criminal invested in building up a riding school, or on yachts or other. Money that is not directly linked to the crime,” says Cecilia Malmström.

Sweden claimed to already doing a lot to penalise such criminals including passing sentences. Other laws and other countries should be draw into the punishment regime. Greece, Romania and Bulgaria are the countries that were forced to tighten their rules most in the new bill draft.

The bill is eagerly awaited by both Member States and the European Parliament. Cecilia Malmström expects it to be completed within the year.
By Scancomark.se Team

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