I am informed by the Garda authorities that most Criminal Asset Bureau actions relate to assets suspected to derive from drug trafficking, money laundering, prostitution, fraud, corruption, receiving stolen property and tax fraud. Data on such actions cannot be neatly categorised in terms of area of criminal activity because usually there are overlaps. Statistics on moneys seized or collected by the Criminal Assets Bureau in respect of the period 1996 to 2003 are as follows:
Proceeds of Crime Action
|
Section 2 Interim Orders
|
€19,870,580.02
|
|
Stg£18,357,498.09
|
|
US$ 5,783,303.00
|
|
Section 3 Interlocutory Orders
|
€13,284,599.61
|
|
Stg£ 2,829,799.70
|
|
US$ 5,247,821.00
|
Revenue Action
|
Taxes Assessed
|
€78,841,922.14
|
|
Tax Demanded
|
€76,320,965.00
|
|
Tax Collected
|
€56,191,004.00
|
Social Welfare
|
Overpayments Assessed
|
€2,237,765.45
|
|
Savings to the Exchequer
|
€1,514,459.42
|
The number of applications, with the number of defendants shown in brackets, made to the High Court under proceeds of crime legislation over the eight year period 1996 to 2003 was:
|
Section 2
|
58
|
(95)
|
|
Section 3
|
53
|
(70)
|
|
Section 7
|
48
|
(47)
|
The number of tax assessments issued over the same eight year period is set out in the following table:
|
1996-1998
|
162
|
|
1999
|
183
|
|
2000
|
120
|
|
2001
|
144
|
|
2002
|
142
|
|
2003
|
182
|
The Criminal Assets Bureau cannot give details of ongoing investigations. Further information on the activities of the Criminal Assets Bureau since its establishment in 1996 are contained in the annual reports of the bureau. Copies of these are available in the Oireachtas Library.
