Labour Call For Quicker CAB Seizure Powers

In the midst of the controversy surrounding the Criminal Justice Amendment Bill currently being debated in the Daíl, Labour have called for faster turnaround on Criminal Assets Seizures.

The Labour Party spokesperson on Justice, Pat Rabbitte put an amendment to the controversial bill that would enable the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) to apply to forfeit seized property after two years rather than the present seven year wait.

"This will assist the CAB fight against organised crime and will have the incidental effect of an income bonanza for the Exchequer.

"I am advised that it could mean a once off cash income to the Exchequer of up to €50m," the Labour minister said.

He added: "Some of that windfall could be used to better equip the Gardai in assembling evidence to put the gang bosses out of business. In particular, we need more intelligence-led policing as pioneered in the UK and replicated in Canada and New Zealand."

The news comes as Gardai from the CAB carried out a number of searches of premises in the Louth, Meath and Cork yesterday.

According to a spokesman for Gardaí, documentation was seized during the course of the operation, which is part of an international investigation into the smuggling of cigarettes.

The Bill, which proposes sweeping changes to gangland investigations and prosecutions, includes new procedures that would see suspected gang members tried in the Special Criminal Courts without a jury in order to remove intimidation of jurors.

However, Labour spokesperson has also this morning claimed the justice minister has said he has no record of the intimidation of Jurors in past cases.

Pat Rabitte said: "The extraordinary admission by the Minster for Justice, Dermot Ahern in a letter to Deputy Charlie Flanagan that he has no record of intimidation of Jurors is almost beyond belief given the Minister’s justification for the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill.

"Form the beginning I have argued that there is no evidence of tampering with Jurors but that there is intimidation of witnesses. Now Minister Ahern admits as much."

The claims could be very damaging to the passage of the bill which is expected to face a vote on Friday.

(DW/BMcC)