Chief prosecutor: Criminal assets should be directed to law enforcement
Prosecutor General Lavly Perling finds that criminal income confiscated from convicted criminals could be directed into the development of law enforcement institutions.
According to the overview of the first half of the year of the Office of the Prosecutor General, compared to the same period last year, the value of confiscated assets has doubled, and nearly €1.14 million has been confiscated to the state's assets. "At the same time, I'm convinced that confiscating criminal income has to become an inseparable part of the proceeding and in that regard we still have room to grow," Perling said.
Within the first half of 2017, criminal income has been confiscated in 98 criminal cases. According to the prosecutor general, concrete goals have been agreed upon by the Office of the Prosecutor and investigative institutions to raise this number.
According to Perling, large-scale criminal cases where criminals have earned a lot of income must be paid special attention in this regard. "By confiscating illegal incom from criminal cases, we have the oportunity to contribute to the state budget and hopefully to develop law enforcement institutions," she said.
"A criminal proceeding which began with an operation called Ghost Click and which concluded with the confiscation of the largest sum ever — €18 million — and the conviction of criminals is an excellent example of successful international cooperation," Perling highlighted. "Cooperation in the framework of this criminal case continues, and as proof, the U.S. Department of Justice has announced its readiness to hand over nearly $800,000 worth of confiscated criminal income to the Estonian State Treasury.
"Our colleagues' wish is that the money be directed into law enforcement institutions, and therefore the Office of the Prosecutor has proposed using it for the development of prosecutors and police officers as well as for increasing technical ability in the field of cybercrime, terrorism and criminal incom," said Perling.
Editor: Aili Vahtla
Source: BNS