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Justice Dept. watchdog critical of some cash seizures

By Eric DuVall
Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz speaks about his agency's report critical of federal law enforcement for seizing assets from individuals suspected of committing crimes. More than half of 100 cases reviewed included asset seizures that did not advance criminal prosecutions. Screen shot courtesy Justice Department
Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz speaks about his agency's report critical of federal law enforcement for seizing assets from individuals suspected of committing crimes. More than half of 100 cases reviewed included asset seizures that did not advance criminal prosecutions. Screen shot courtesy Justice Department

March 29 (UPI) -- A Justice Department watchdog released a report critical of the process known as "asset seizure" that enables law enforcement to take cash and property from individuals suspected of committing crimes.

The report, issued by the Justice Department inspector general, said in a sample of 100 cases from the Drug Enforcement Agency, the department responsible for most federal asset seizures, more than half included asset seizures that did not advance the prosecution of criminal charges or constitute evidence for trial.

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Federal, state and local law enforcement have been empowered since the dawn of the War on Drugs in the 1980s to seize assets, sometimes without a judge's warrant, if evidence suggests the assets were obtained through illegal transactions such as drug sales or white collar crimes.

The law enforcement agencies usually use seized assets to help fund themselves. The DEA alone has seized $4.15 billion in assets since 2006, the report found.

The report stated the DEA and other agencies risk losing public confidence if they are seen as taking money for their own benefit, especially when the person who is targeted hasn't been charged or convicted of a crime.

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"When seizure and administrative forfeitures do not ultimately advance an investigation or prosecution, law enforcement creates the appearance, and risks the reality, that it is more interested in seizing and forfeiting cash than advancing an investigation or prosecution," the report said.

Kenneth Blanco, the acting director of the DEA's criminal division, criticized the report, charging the inspector general's investigation was too narrow and the cases, which all happened in 2012, are outdated. Blanco said asset seizures are an important tool in deterring crime and making sure drug dealers and white collar criminals don't get to reap the benefits of ill-gotten money and property.

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