by Kate Heaney
THE Criminal Assets Bureau(CAB) carried out investigations into 28 targets in County Donegal last year according to the latest report published this week by the Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee.
The total number country-wide was 1,638.
According to the report almost €6.3 million was returned to the Exchequer in 2022 following the seizure of ill-gotten gains which included cash, property and luxury goods such as watches and cars.
The minister stressed the importance of the agency having asset profilers in every garda division in the country.
There is no specific breakdown of the nature of the 28 investigations carried out by CAB in Donegal. Sligo/Leitrim was slightly less at 21 investigations.
When contacted for further information on the Donegal investigations the Garda Press Office stated “We don’t provide lines on the specific details of investigations conducted by CAB”.
The value of assets under the new proceeds of crime cases commenced by the Bureau ranged in value from €9,718 to €1,948,147.
Internationally, the Bureau continued to liaise and conduct investigations with law enforcement and judicial authorities throughout Europe and worldwide.
This included extensive cooperation with law enforcement agencies in Northern Ireland, including the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Publishing the report the Minister said “The 2022 Annual Report evidences the hard work and dedication of Chief Bureau Officer Mick Gubbins and all of the staff and agencies involved in CAB and I would like to thank them for their ongoing efforts and determination to deprive criminals of the benefits of their illegal activity.
“Between 1996 and 2022, CAB denied and deprived criminals of over €210 million of assets that were returned to the Exchequer. Of this, €35.5 million was under the proceeds of crime legislation, €169 million was from revenue collections and over €5.8 million in social welfare recoveries.”
She praised the important role played by local Divisional Asset Profilers in every Garda division, which are usually trained Gardaí providing information to CAB.
“These profilers are the eyes and ears of the Bureau, as they cover every Garda Division, and have first-hand knowledge of criminality in their local areas,” she added.
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere
SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT EDITION TODAY
and get access to our archive editions dating back to 2007(CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW TO SUBSCRIBE)