A WA parliamentary question seeks clarification on the amount confiscated under unexplained wealth laws, highlighting the overlap with drug trafficking confiscations. The Attorney General provides a breakdown of applications, declarations, and funds received over several financial years.

AnsweredQoN 7241Legislative Assembly
Asked
22 February 2012
Portfolio
Attorney General

QuestionView source ↗

The total amount confiscated specifically on unexplained wealth grounds since the commencement of the operation of the Act has been $6 027 794.84. However, it is relevant to note that because the Act provides for the confiscation of all wealth and property of a declared drug trafficker whether unexplained or not, it is usually not necessary for the State to commence confiscation action on unexplained wealth grounds. The total amount confiscated on all grounds under the Act between 1 July 2008 and 24 February 2012 is $32 629 801.02.  Drug traffickers comprised $24 714 904.75 of this total. The wealth taken from drug traffickers is nearly always unexplained wealth. Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on http://www.rtlib.com

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
20 March 2012
Response time
27 days
Applications for unexplained wealth are usually complex in nature and, as such, often take a lengthy period of time to finalise. Therefore, an application may be made in one financial year, the actual declaration made in another, and the funds realised in a further financial year.
Therefore, while the table below shows the figures for each of the nominated years, the "Declarations" column may include results from applications made prior to the nominated years and similarly, the "$ into Account" column may also include monies from declarations made prior to the nominated years.
Year
Applications
Declarations
$ into Account
2008-09
5
1
$518 591.21
2009-10
3
1
$1 367.84
2010-11
0
5
$597 843.94
2011-12*
0
0
$0.00
* NB - Answer as at 24 Feb 2012.
The total amount confiscated specifically on unexplained wealth grounds since the commencement of the operation of the Act has been $6 027 794.84.
However, it is relevant to note that because the Act provides for the confiscation of all wealth and property of a declared drug trafficker whether unexplained or not, it is usually not necessary for the State to commence confiscation action on unexplained wealth grounds.
The total amount confiscated on all grounds under the Act between 1 July 2008 and 24 February 2012 is $32 629 801.02.  Drug traffickers comprised $24 714 904.75 of this total. The wealth taken from drug traffickers is nearly always unexplained wealth.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com

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